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Bepicolombo's Mission to Mercury
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(10-22-2018, 12:30 PM)Blake Cherpin Wrote: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45838991

This article discusses the joint mission to Mercury by the Japanese (JAXA) and European (ESA) space agencies. This endeavor is named "BepiColombo" named after the late Italian engineer, mathematician and scientist of the same name. This mission will allow scientists study Mercury up close for an extended period of time. The probe will reach Mercury in seven years time. BepiColombo has to take a circular path towards Mercury or else it will not be able to stop at the planet, instead flying by it and into the Sun. This missions purpose is to study the mysteries of Mercury, with one of the most puzzling mysteries being the over sized iron core Mercury has. This core makes up 60% of Mercury's mass. 

Once Mercury is reached, the JAXA and ESA components of the probe have different roles. JAXA's priority is to measure and collect data and behavior of Mercury's magnetic field. The ESA's instrument's job is to collect data on surface terrain and composition. This data combined will hopefully help answer questions scientists have about the planet, and how it came to be. The probe also has to be insulated greatly, because it has to withstand 400°C heat from the Sun. 

I think this mission between JAXA and the ESA will be beneficial because it will not only help scientists learn about how Mercury was formed, but it will also help scientists understand our planet, and solar system as a whole. The article states the mission is about £3 billion over budget, from the original £1.65 billion granted. Taking into account that this venture is being carried out by two countries, I think the mission is worth the cost. If the probe collects a lot of useful data, scientist may learn lots of crucial information about the planet.
I agree with you that this mission to Mercury is well worth the expenses being paid. Out of all the planets in our solar system, Mercury is the closest to the Sun, and, when compared to a planet such as Mars or Venus, not a lot is known about it. Knowing more about our solar system and the planets in it can help us to understand the mystery about how life began (though there are many theories, including "The Big Bang". Though our own planet has many problems of its own to deal with, I believe that it is our duty as humans to find out as much as we can about the planets and the universe around us.


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RE: Bepicolombo's Mission to Mercury - by Zachary Tavares - 11-01-2018, 10:15 AM

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