Present Status of the BepiColombo/Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter
Abstract
BepiColombo has been defined as the ESA-JAXA joint mission to Mercury with the aim to understand the process of planetary formation and evolution in the hottest part of the proto-planetary nebula as well as to understand similarities and differences between the magnetospheres of Mercury and Earth. The baseline mission consists of two spacecraft: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO). The two orbiters will be launched together on one Soyuz-Fregat 2B in mid 2012. JAXA is responsible for the MMO, while ESA is responsible for the MPO as well as the launch and transport of the two spacecraft to Mercury in the insertion of their dedicated orbits. JAXA has made conceptual design of the MMO spacecraft system (including the interface with the cruising composite system in collaboration with ESA) and model payload. MMO is a spin-stabilized spacecraft to be placed in a 400 km x 12000 km polar orbit. The spacecraft will accommodate instruments mostly dedicated to the study of the magnetic field, waves, and particles in the environment of Mercury. In order to maximize science return with limited resources, the instruments are planned to share common function and resources (CPU boards and power supply units). The PI responsible instruments will soon be selected, based on the evaluation of the international payload review committee of proposals to be submitted in response to the announcement of opportunity.
- Publication:
-
35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004cosp...35.3312M