Mercury flyby
BepiColombo, a joint mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), flew past Mercury on June 19, as it prepares to enter the planet’s orbit in 2025. The spacecraft was around 146 miles (236 kilometers) above the surface during its nearest approach, allowing it to capture detailed images of the planet’s heavily cratered surface. This was BepiColombo’s third flyby of Mercury, with the next one planned for September 2024.
