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Spanish scientists are collaborating on a European Space Agency mission to the planet Mercury
By m.p
May 7, 2007 - 10:46 PM

A team from the CSIC, the Higher Institute for Scientific Investigation, are reported to be working with the European Space Agency on the first mission to the planet Mercury, when, in 2013, the ‘Bepi Colombo’ will set off on a journey for an in-depth exploration of the planet which is expected to last for at least six years.

It will encounter temperatures reaching as high as 350 º C.

The aim is to gather information on the process of planetary formation, and bring back data on the magnetospheres of Mercury and Earth, and any similarities or differences between the two planets.

Scientists from the Andalucía Astrophysics Institute in Granada are collaborating in the design and manufacture of components for the BepiColombo Laser Altimeter, known as BeLa, which will allow scientists to gather information on surface features, and give a detailed topographical analysis of the planet.

The Bepi Colombo is due to arrive in orbit around Mercury in September 2019, remaining there to gather information for at least the following 12 months, with a possible extension until September 2021.