Date: Monday 16-Dec-2024
Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: ATL 1250 and Zoom (contact host Ben Sharkey for link)
Speaker: Sebastien Besse (ESA)
Title: BepiColombo - Get ready - cruise to Mercury is about to end!
Abstract: The joint project between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for the exploration of Mercury, BepiColombo is closing on its 6th year of cruise. After another two flybys at Mercury in late 2024 and early 2025 BepiColombo with its state-of-the-art and very comprehensive payload will orbit the planet and perform measurements to increase our knowledge on the fundamental questions about Mercury's evolution, composition, interior, magnetosphere, and exosphere. BepiColombo consists of two orbiters, the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio). During the cruise, BepiColombo delivered important scientific results while flying by Venus and Mercury. Due to the stack configuration of the cruise phase, the payload is not fully operational and scientific discoveries have been focused on the dynamic processes of the magnetosphere and the compositional structure of the Hermean Exosphere. As BepiColombo is preparing for its orbit insertion in late 2026, it is time for the scientific community to prepare itself for an incredible and exhaustive science investigation of Mercury.
If you have any questions, contact the PALS hosts: Benjamin Sharkey (small bodies) and Matt Nixon (exoplanets).
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS:Special accommodations for individuals with disabilities can be made by calling (301) 405-3001. It would be appreciated if we are notified at least one week in advance.
ATL 1250 is a flat, carpeted conference room that can accommodate approximately 20-30 people at large tables. The closest wheelchair accessible entry to this room in the Atlantic building is the white stone entrance at 224 Stadium Drive.
