BepiColombo is a dual-spacecraft joint European-Japanese mission to Mercury, the least explored terrestrial planet. Carrying the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO, ESA) and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio, JAXA), the mission will investigate Mercury's iron-rich core, polar water ice craters, tenuous exosphere, and intense magnetic dynamo.
| Sensor | Subsystem | Scientific Measurement Function | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MERTIS | Mercury Radiometer and Thermal Spectrometer |
Mid-infrared mapping of surface silicate minerals.
|
Active |
| BELA | BepiColombo Laser Altimeter |
Global topographic mapping and tidal surface deformation.
|
Standby |
| MIXS | Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer |
Measures fluorescent elemental composition (Mg, Al, Si, Fe).
|
Standby |
| MGF | Magnetometer Suite |
Measures planetary dipole and solar wind magnetic interaction.
|
Active |