Biomass antenna opens

Biomass antenna opens

This short animation, taken by MCSE’s camera installed on the Biomass satellite, shows the large reflector in stowed position, and fully deployed. The Moon can be seen in the first image. Credits: ESA Featured on ESA website...
Biomass reflector deployment

Biomass reflector deployment

This animated sequence, taken by MCSE’s camera installed on the Biomass satellite, shows the deployment of the satellite’s 12-metre-diameter antenna. Credits: ESA Featured on ESA website...
Video of BepiColombo’s sixth Mercury flyby

Video of BepiColombo’s sixth Mercury flyby

Video of the final planetary flyby of Mercury by the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft until it enters orbit around the planet in late 2026. The images were taken on 7 and 8 January 2025 by MCSE’s monitoring cameras on board the spacecraft. Featured on ESA website...
Lava and debris brighten Mercury’s surface

Lava and debris brighten Mercury’s surface

MCAM-2 took this photo at 07:17 CET, when the spacecraft was about 2103 km from the planet’s surface. The spacecraft’s closest approach of 295 km took place on the planet’s night side at 06:59 CET. The second image is annotated. Text and credits: ESA The bright...
Mercury’s sunlit north

Mercury’s sunlit north

MCAM-1 took this photo at 07:12 CET, when the spacecraft was about 1427 km from the planet’s surface. The spacecraft’s closest approach of 295 km took place on the planet’s night side at 06:59 CET. The image shows that large regions of Mercury’s heavily...
Mercury’s shadowy north pole

Mercury’s shadowy north pole

M-CAM 1 took this long-exposure photograph of Mercury’s north pole at 07:07 CET, when the spacecraft was about 787 km from the planet’s surface. The spacecraft’s closest approach of 295 km took place on the planet’s night side at 06:59 CET. The second...
BepiColombo’s sixth Mercury flyby

BepiColombo’s sixth Mercury flyby

On 8 January 2025, the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission flew past Mercury for the sixth time, successfully completing the final ‘gravity assist manoeuvre’ needed to steer it into orbit around the planet in late 2026. The spacecraft flew just a few hundred kilometres above...
Video of BepiColombo’s fourth Mercury flyby

Video of BepiColombo’s fourth Mercury flyby

Video of the closest flyby of a planet ever, as the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft sped past Mercury during its latest encounter on 4 September 2024. The images are taken by MCSE’s monitoring cameras on board the spacecraft. Featured on ESA website...