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Unmanned Spaceflight.com _ BepiColombo _ BepiColombo Launch & Cruise Phase

Posted by: nprev Oct 17 2018, 03:23 PM

The adventure is about to begin! We'll discuss it here. http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/BepiColombo/Watch_BepiColombo_launch?fbclid=IwAR2w1-rMVdVrMJ1Y_VH4PHsYvPizuxSbsbdrCWHh0XvsPu1Y7apPzpM7l3w, launch currently slated for 20 Oct/0145 UTC.

GO BEPICOLOMBO!!!

Posted by: nprev Oct 20 2018, 12:45 AM

30 min until ESA feed goes live.

Posted by: Bjorn Jonsson Oct 20 2018, 12:53 AM

A very interesting followup to the Messenger mission. It's past midnight where I live but I'm finding it impossible to go to sleep until I've seen the launch...

Posted by: nprev Oct 20 2018, 01:16 AM

Should be a fascinating mission.

T- 30 min now, feed is live! smile.gif

Posted by: nprev Oct 20 2018, 01:47 AM

GO!!!!!!!

Posted by: Bjorn Jonsson Oct 20 2018, 01:52 AM

WOW!!!
So far so good.

Posted by: nprev Oct 20 2018, 02:13 AM

Spacecraft separation. smile.gif

Thread title edited to reflect the fact that they're on their way.

Posted by: Bjorn Jonsson Oct 20 2018, 02:27 AM

It's alive!! Signal acquisition!

Posted by: MahFL Oct 20 2018, 02:50 AM

QUOTE (Bjorn Jonsson @ Oct 20 2018, 03:27 AM) *
It's alive!! Signal acquisition!


Awesome, missed the launch as I had to deal with a work problem.

Posted by: Explorer1 Oct 20 2018, 03:00 AM

Solar arrays deployed!
And a day later, first images from the engineering cameras! http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2018/10/BepiColombo_s_first_image_from_space

Posted by: nprev Oct 21 2018, 07:52 PM

http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2018/10/BepiColombo_images_high-gain_antenna?fbclid=IwAR3r3WkpG6WhI5CcOkj2K0Rxnr76WYIbUfuOMLFEx14Xpj5bAQJAn2moXmA images.

Think we're likely to see some extraordinarily cool selfies at Mercury (and perhaps during the Earth and Venus flybys as well.) smile.gif

Posted by: Roby72 Oct 21 2018, 09:21 PM

Only the engineering cameras will be active during the flybys...when the enter orbit around Mercury in 2025 - this will be the beginning of science with the optical instruments.
Does anyone know the specs of the camera/lenses used with the science cameras?

Posted by: charborob Oct 22 2018, 12:01 AM

QUOTE (Roby72 @ Oct 21 2018, 05:21 PM) *
Only the engineering cameras will be active during the flybys...when the enter orbit around Mercury in 2025 - this will be the beginning of science with the optical instruments.
Does anyone know the specs of the camera/lenses used with the science cameras?

Some information https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/bepicolombo/simbio-sys.

Posted by: nogal Oct 26 2018, 12:18 PM

BepiColombo continues to fare well. The magnetometer boom deployed correctly, as seen in this http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2018/10/BepiColombo_magnetometer_boom_deployed_-_gif_sequence, and first measurements of the local magnetic field have been made.
Fernando

Posted by: nogal Dec 5 2018, 03:13 PM

The testing of BepiColombo's four electric propulsion thrusters went well, as reported by ESA http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/BepiColombo_now_firing_on_all_cylinders.
This was a critical procedure that had to be executed during a window when the spacecraft was continuously in full view of the ground antennas.
The first thrust arc will begin in mid-December.
The above mentioned article also contains a short movie of BepiColombo's seven year journey to Mercury, highlighting all the gravity assist planetary encounters.

Posted by: nogal Dec 18 2018, 08:09 PM

ESA http://m.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/BepiColombo_s_first_routine_firing_in_space that BepiColombo has initiated its first thrust arc, which will last 2 months.
The ion thrusters' maximum planed thrust for the entire journey is 250 mN, equivalent to the pull of 250 ants (!) blink.gif
Fernando

Posted by: monty python Dec 19 2018, 06:29 AM

Great news. And a cool selfie.

Posted by: nogal Apr 5 2019, 02:12 PM

BepiColombo continues to work well. Here is an excerpt from the latest ESA release:

QUOTE
Following a series of tests conducted in space over the past five months, the ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission has successfully completed its near-Earth commissioning phase and is now ready for the operations that will take place during the cruise and, eventually, for its scientific investigations at Mercury.

And the release: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/BepiColombo/BepiColombo_is_ready_for_its_long_cruise

Fernando

Posted by: MahFL Apr 6 2019, 01:46 AM

QUOTE (nogal @ Apr 5 2019, 02:12 PM) *
BepiColombo continues to work well. Here is an excerpt from the latest ESA release:

And the release: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/BepiColombo/BepiColombo_is_ready_for_its_long_cruise

Fernando


They mentioned some ongoing issues, but did not say what they were.

Posted by: bobik May 28 2019, 04:56 AM

http://phebus.projet.latmos.ipsl.fr/en/actualite/necp-phase-3-en-direct/ of PHEBUS on BepiColombo MPO.

Posted by: nogal Jun 18 2019, 02:59 PM

On June 17 BepiColombo used its on-board monitoring cameras to take some selfies.Here is the ESA release http://m.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2019/06/Monitoring_camera_checkout
The release includes a link to a cool tool: https://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/itl-viewer/bcattitude/ I find it requires a screen larger than that of a mobile phone.
Fernando

Posted by: nogal Nov 8 2019, 06:23 PM

An interesting ESA article with some details about Bepi Colombo's thermal environment and challenges:
http://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/How_we_heat-proofed_ESA_s_Mercury_mission

Fernando

Posted by: bobik Mar 10 2020, 02:15 PM

There is apparently a http://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/bscs-qla/home of the https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC-DPS2019/EPSC-DPS2019-921-1.pdf (QLA) web interface showing, among others, ground stations pass information. If they would complement it with more functionality and at least some generic spacecraft and instrument data, e.g. power consumption, temperature readings, telemetry events, data volumes, etc., this could become a quite innovative outreach tool and fascinating way to follow the BepiColombo expedition.

Posted by: nogal Mar 30 2020, 07:15 PM

Despite the restrictions due to the current coronavirus crisis, ESA is preparing for the April 10's BepiColombo Earth flyby.
Celestial mechanics is, of course, immune to the virus tongue.gif and we are already within the critical two weeks before the flyby.
Here is an ESA article on this subject: http://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/ESA_to_conduct_BepiColombo_flyby_amid_coronavirus_crisis

Fernando

Posted by: Explorer1 Apr 9 2020, 07:55 PM

Some very impressive images came down showing Earth's rotation as it approaches, as seen on social media. The MTM external cameras were a good idea!

Posted by: MahFL Apr 10 2020, 08:20 AM

QUOTE (Explorer1 @ Apr 9 2020, 07:55 PM) *
Some very impressive images came down showing Earth's rotation as it approaches, as seen on social media. The MTM external cameras were a good idea!


I watched the ESA flyby simulation live.

Posted by: nogal Apr 10 2020, 06:26 PM

Esa has released a short image sequence taken by the camera on the Japanese module.
Fernando

"BepiColombo's last close-up of Earth during flyby" http://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2020/04/BepiColombo_s_last_close-up_of_Earth_during_flyby

Posted by: antipode Apr 11 2020, 01:08 AM

Wow! Love this sort of 'through the rigging' stuff.

Resolution is unimportant, its the perspective that is special.

Its like a better version of Rosetta's Mars flyby.

P

Posted by: Lucas Apr 11 2020, 06:45 PM

Here is a video from the Kryoneri Observatory in Greece, showing BepiColombo during the flyby. Wow!

You don’t need a Facebook account to see it: https://www.facebook.com/athensobservatory/videos/156196052386495/

Posted by: nogal Apr 17 2020, 11:13 PM


BepiColopmbo: The Earth Flyby collection, by ESA:
http://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2020/04/Views_of_Earth_from_BepiColombo_s_flyby
Fernando



Posted by: palebutdot Apr 18 2020, 08:05 AM

Here's another view of Earth and Moon from BepiColombo earlier during the mission (cam_raw_sc_cam3_image_20200304t233732_13_f__t0080 to cam_raw_sc_cam3_image_20200305t233453_28_f__t0100)

https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/

 BCEM.mp4 ( 36.02K ) : 2116
 

Posted by: Steve G Oct 15 2020, 03:41 PM

BepiColombo flew by Venus today and snapped this black and white shot with its instrumentation in the foreground.

https://sci.esa.int/web/bepicolombo/-/bepicolombo-images-venus-during-close-approach

Posted by: Marcin600 Oct 15 2020, 07:11 PM

And https://twitter.com/ESA_Bepi/status/1316761718228480000 , (and http://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2020/10/Venus_setting )



Can anyone help me understand what this movement is (in the visible part of the probe - the Mercury Planetary Orbiter’s magnetometer boom)? Photo artifact? A play of light?

below gif's - fragments cut from the "video":

 

Posted by: JRehling Oct 15 2020, 11:56 PM

My hypothesis would be that a small part of the spacecraft is blacked out in the darkness of shadow cast by another part of the spacecraft in some frames, and seems to "appear" when it is not in shadow.

Posted by: rhr Oct 16 2020, 03:25 PM

Or maybe a specular reflection of venus from a flat, shiny surface that's normally reflecting black? I don't really see any shadows moving near that part.

Posted by: atomoid Oct 19 2020, 08:49 PM

Similar to the http://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2020/04/bepicolombo_s_last_close-ups_of_earth_during_flyby/21939760-7-eng-GB/BepiColombo_s_last_close-ups_of_Earth_during_flyby_pillars.gifyou can see a very thin line light up that part part of the http://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2018/10/bepicolombo_magnetometer_boom_deployed_-_gif_sequence/17838178-1-eng-GB/BepiColombo_magnetometer_boom_deployed_-_gif_sequence_pillars.gif when lighting is right.
Can be seen much better in this model through https://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/itl-viewer/bcattitude/.

Posted by: Marcin600 Oct 20 2020, 06:38 PM

Thanks for the suggestions and insights!

https://www.aeroespacial.sener/en/products/bepicolombo-deployable-magnetometer-boom-magboom I found photos of the magnetometer boom (in the laboratory) with the sensor in question (there are actually two such sensors) - unfortunately without the Thermal Shielding.
This rectangular (in the shape of a cube or cuboid) Thermal Shielding is visible in https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/bepicolombo/mpo/mag and probably in https://www.iwf.oeaw.ac.at/en/research/space-missions/current-missions/bepicolombo/bepicolombo-magnetometers/. I'm not sure, but maybe it is made of some translucent material (?)

Anyway, since no shadows are actually moving in the Venus flyby video, it seems likely to me that the two flashes seen in the video were caused by the reflection of the Venus disc from two consecutive parallel faces of this Thermal Shielding...

Posted by: Explorer1 Aug 13 2021, 04:17 PM

A nice summary of Venus flyby 2's early results (along with near-simultaneous Solar Orbiter data)

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Sights_and_sounds_of_a_Venus_flyby

Posted by: Hungry4info Sep 28 2021, 10:55 AM

Just dropping by to give this thread a little nudge ahead of the upcoming first flyby of Mercury this week on 23:34 UTC, 1 October (01:34 CEST, 2 October). Perhaps I'm not the only one for whom this flyby has kinda crept up on under the radar.

Mercury ahead!
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/Mercury_ahead%21

QUOTE
During the flybys it is not possible to take high-resolution imagery with the main science camera because it is shielded by the transfer module while the spacecraft is in cruise configuration. However, two of BepiColombo’s three monitoring cameras (MCAMs) will be taking photos from about five minutes after the time of close approach and up to four hours later. Because BepiColombo is arriving on the planet’s nightside, conditions are not ideal to take images directly at the closest approach, thus the closest image will be captured from a distance of about 1000 km.
QUOTE
The first image to be downlinked will be from about 30 minutes after closest approach, and is expected to be available for public release at around 08:00 CEST on Saturday morning. The close approach and subsequent images will be downlinked one by one during Saturday morning.
QUOTE
Even though BepiColombo is in ‘stacked’ cruise configuration for the flybys, it will be possible to operate some of the science instruments on both planetary orbiters, allowing a first taste of the planet’s magnetic, plasma and particle environment.

Posted by: TrappistPlanets Sep 29 2021, 10:59 PM

QUOTE (Hungry4info @ Sep 28 2021, 11:55 AM) *
Just dropping by to give this thread a little nudge ahead of the upcoming first flyby of Mercury this week on 23:34 UTC, 1 October (01:34 CEST, 2 October). Perhaps I'm not the only one for whom this flyby has kinda crept up on under the radar.

Mercury ahead!
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/Mercury_ahead%21


yeah... i didn't know about it today, until Antdoghalo said something on one of my servers on discord about it
it certainly did creep up under the radar for me too

Posted by: JRehling Sep 30 2021, 03:53 PM

We have over four years to get ready for BC's actual science operations; this is a useful reminder of what it is that we have to look forward to.

https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006epsc.conf...81L/abstract

At global resolution, Messenger has given us a complete map of Mercury that leaves little to improve upon. However, BepiColombo will nonetheless perform a great deal of original science.

Posted by: Hungry4info Oct 2 2021, 10:02 AM

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2021/10/Hello_Mercury


 

Posted by: TrappistPlanets Oct 2 2021, 01:36 PM

QUOTE (Hungry4info @ Oct 2 2021, 10:02 AM) *
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2021/10/Hello_Mercury


why is only a chunk of mercury seen in each frame and not the whole planet?

Posted by: JRehling Oct 2 2021, 04:48 PM

The answer to that is in post #39.

Posted by: titanicrivers Oct 2 2021, 05:22 PM

The complete article from today referenced earlier by Hungry4info can be found here https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/BepiColombo_s_first_views_of_Mercury

Posted by: brellis Oct 2 2021, 07:03 PM

Astounding how precisely successful this maneuver appears! Question: how close did the actual flyby match the calculations in terms of effect on the spacecraft's speed and course? Or was there a ballpark/range predicted based on how precisely we know Mercury's mass and orbit?

Posted by: Phil Stooke Oct 2 2021, 07:19 PM

JRehling: "At global resolution, Messenger has given us a complete map of Mercury that leaves little to improve upon. However, BepiColombo will nonetheless perform a great deal of original science"

Messenger certainly gave excellent results, but there is much that can be improved on. Messenger had an orbit which gave low passes over the north pole and high passes over the south, so imaging and all datasets were better in the north than in the south. As an example, the laser altimeter was unable to collect data over much of the southern hemisphere, so the global topo map is less accurate in the south where only stereoscopic imaging is available (stereo gives great detail but it needs altimetry to determine the location in space of the stereo model). BepiColombo will improve on many of Messenger;s datasets in the south. And the high resolution imager will greatly extend the limited high resolution mapping by Messenger.

Phil

Posted by: bobik Oct 3 2021, 06:28 AM

JAXA's flyby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cf3qFtz86U and ESA Operations https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1444250893373878272 reminded me how cool it would have been if we had got, among others, real-time temperature readings through ESA's BepiColombo http://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/bscs-qla/home web interface during the flyby, but alas! rolleyes.gif

Posted by: TrappistPlanets Oct 3 2021, 06:14 PM

QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Oct 2 2021, 07:19 PM) *
JRehling: "At global resolution, Messenger has given us a complete map of Mercury that leaves little to improve upon. However, BepiColombo will nonetheless perform a great deal of original science"

Messenger certainly gave excellent results, but there is much that can be improved on. Messenger had an orbit which gave low passes over the north pole and high passes over the south, so imaging and all datasets were better in the north than in the south. As an example, the laser altimeter was unable to collect data over much of the southern hemisphere, so the global topo map is less accurate in the south where only stereoscopic imaging is available (stereo gives great detail but it needs altimetry to determine the location in space of the stereo model). BepiColombo will improve on many of Messenger;s datasets in the south. And the high resolution imager will greatly extend the limited high resolution mapping by Messenger.

Phil


did any of the images from the flyby image the south at all?

Posted by: JRehling Oct 3 2021, 10:55 PM

QUOTE (TrappistPlanets @ Oct 3 2021, 11:14 AM) *
did any of the images from the flyby image the south at all?


Not better than this:
https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/search/map/Mercury/Messenger/Global/Mercury_MESSENGER_MDIS_Basemap_LOI_Mosaic_Global_166m

Posted by: Explorer1 Oct 4 2021, 03:54 PM

Video including some more distant departure views (overexposed, but still neat!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdOLeGeqAEI

Posted by: bobik Jan 12 2022, 04:40 PM

It seems BepiColombo experienced a Safe Mode event sometimes during Christmas holidays between 23.12.2021 and 05.01.2022 (no pass was scheduled during this period). http://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/bscs-qla/home is that a "Safe Mode recovery extra pass" was requested on 05.01 and carried out on 07.01.2022.

Posted by: Explorer1 Jan 12 2022, 09:44 PM

Nothing new on their social media, either. Must have been very minor.

Posted by: bobik Jan 13 2022, 02:07 PM

QUOTE (Explorer1 @ Jan 12 2022, 10:44 PM) *
Nothing new on their social media...

Not too surprising, ESA so far has shown no intention to provide the general public with timely updates on BepiColombo spacecraft operations and status, besides PR coverage of flybys. Having said that, in this https://spaceops.iafastro.directory/a/proceedings/SpaceOps-2021/SpaceOps-2021/3/manuscripts/SpaceOps-2021,3,x1237.pdf summing up the first 2.5 years (until May 2021) of flight operations we learn that up to this point, BepiColombo experienced only https://spaceops.iafastro.directory/a/proceedings/SpaceOps-2021/SpaceOps-2021/3/manuscripts/SpaceOps-2021,3,x1237.pdf#page=10, all in the first few months of the expedition, so at least in this regard a safe mode would be a notable event. unsure.gif

Posted by: bobik Jan 23 2022, 07:11 AM

BepiColombo is going to enter http://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/bscs-qla/home (SSC), and so starts the second observation session for the https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/2201/2201.05107.pdf (SCE) to test General Relativity (GR).

Posted by: bobik Feb 2 2022, 02:10 PM

A strange https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/APP/connector/0/4291/url/cam_raw_sc_cam3_browse_20210809t223002_61_f__t0005.jpeg with greyish "halo" appeared on BepiColombo's High-Gain Antenna (HGA). blink.gif Unfortunately, the front side of the HGA is rarely imaged by the MCAM3 monitoring camera. In an image taken on https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/APP/connector/0/25592/url/cam_raw_sc_cam3_browse_20190809t075351_61_f__t0010.jpeg and https://sci.esa.int/web/bepicolombo/-/61020-turning-bepicolombo-s-high-gain-antenna everything is fine; then, however, in an oblique view taken on https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/APP/connector/0/22642/url/cam_raw_sc_cam3_browse_20201018t094237_61_f__t0005.jpeg a dark spot can be seen tentatively at the edge of the HGA dish, the same spot and entire streak is clearly visible on the next image taken on https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/APP/connector/0/22953/url/cam_raw_sc_cam3_browse_20210407t133002_61_f__t0005.jpeg. The dark streak together with the greyish background doesn't seem to change over time when comparing with the most recent available image taken on https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/APP/connector/0/26231/url/cam_raw_sc_cam3_browse_20211209t093954_61_f__t0004.jpeg. Because of thermal control reasons great care was taken in the https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/1.A34230 and https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12567-021-00378-0 of the NV14 ceramic white coating of the HGA and thus coating deterioration by contamination/irradiation processes is unlikely, I think. huh.gif

Posted by: nogal Feb 2 2022, 07:50 PM

QUOTE (bobik @ Feb 2 2022, 02:10 PM) *
A strange https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/APP/connector/0/4291/url/cam_raw_sc_cam3_browse_20210809t223002_61_f__t0005.jpeg with greyish "halo" ...

This is an interesting information. Can you please check what is causing the error

"https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/APP/connector/0/4291/url/cam_raw_sc_cam3_browse_20210809t223002_61_f__t0005.jpeg" cannot be displayed because it contains errors."

in all but the third link? Thanks.
Fernando

Posted by: bobik Feb 2 2022, 08:14 PM

QUOTE (nogal @ Feb 2 2022, 08:50 PM) *
... cannot be displayed because it contains errors.

OK, that's funny?!?! dry.gif The image links have changed and will probably keep changing (very useful). Please, try this https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/#!Table%20View/MCAM=instrument to the MCAM instrument archive and search with the image identifiers, e.g. 20210809t223002_61_f__t0005. Below I have attached the most crucial images taken on 2021-12-09, 2021-08-09, 2020-10-18, 2021-04-07 and for better comparison an additional image from 2019-05-14 respectively.



 

Posted by: StargazeInWonder Feb 2 2022, 11:32 PM

Perhaps a coincidence, but the streak has a similar size and shape (but not location) to the shadow that some of the antenna gear is casting in some of those photos.

Posted by: nogal Feb 3 2022, 12:43 AM

Thanks for the tip.
I found it best to set the number of images per page to a high number(500?) and search for just this part of the image label "20210809t223002_61_f__t0005".

Fernando

Posted by: bobik Feb 3 2022, 06:59 AM

QUOTE (nogal @ Feb 3 2022, 01:43 AM) *
I found it best to set the number of images per page to a high number ...

Yes indeed, the https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/#!Table%20View/MCAM=instrument search-filter (in the upper right corner) works only for the loaded "Items/page" (dropdown button in the bottom right corner) and the product identifiers have an "_image_" where the linked preview image identifiers have a "_browse_", thus only the second part of the identifier should be used.

Posted by: bobik Mar 12 2022, 07:11 AM

On https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/#!Table%20View/MCAM=instrument an extended photo session was undertaken, apparently to investigate the dark streak on the HGA. Hopefully, this streak will have no adverse effect on the thermal behavior of the HGA and consequently data rate and throughput during Mercury orbit phase. As far as I know, as expected, ESA has not commented on this issue so far.

Posted by: bobik Jun 8 2022, 03:43 PM

Interesting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaX9sRnnutE#t=1h11m45s (among many others) about the upcoming second Mercury Flyby (MSB2) at the current https://mercury2020.ias.u-psud.fr/schedule.php in Orléans.

By the way, although the spacecraft is said to be in good condition it has surfaced that one of two Inertial Measurement Units https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaX9sRnnutE#t=49m59s: "at the moment the problem is under control ... some investigation why the heat pipe is blocked and how to get it free ... a bit optimistic ..."

Posted by: bobik Jun 16 2022, 01:34 PM

Quite extraordinary, even though only a very https://esoc.esa.int/gosssip-missions/bepicolombo of the BepiColombo spacecraft (with some info about the IMU issue, btw). I don't understand what's behind this website, is it broken, experimental or a mistake!? Anyway, this is exactly how it should be done; brief, regular, informative updates on spacecraft status and operations! Is that really too much to ask for? mellow.gif

Posted by: nogal Jun 20 2022, 10:40 AM

BepiColombo's second (of six) Mercury flybys to occur on June 23 on 9:44 UT.
The closest distance will be 200km, with some science data being recoded and images captured by the "selfie-cameras". Images are planned to be available on June 27.
Flyby description with all the above information, flyby animation, and more is available in the ESA article: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/BepiColombo_lines_up_for_second_Mercury_flyby
Fernando

EDIT: Fixed a problem with the link. My thanks to MahFL for pointing it out to me.

Posted by: Explorer1 Jun 23 2022, 03:42 PM

Here we go, a few days early!
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2022/06/BepiColombo_surveys_Mercury_s_rich_geology_annotated

Posted by: JTN Jun 25 2022, 08:39 AM

A few more pictures in the report https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/Second_helpings_of_Mercury. "All MCAM images will be publicly available in the Planetary Science Archive next week."

(In the https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2022/06/The_search_for_volcanoes_annotated, the HGA is turned away as usual, so we can't see how http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=8418&st=45&p=256112&#entry256112 it's gotten. I assume still no public news about that.)

Posted by: bobik Jul 24 2022, 07:28 AM

According to information in ESA's https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/bepicolombo-flyby/science-ground-segment-activities, but criminally underused for public outreach http://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/bscs-qla/home (QLA) tool, the third https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/2201/2201.05107.pdf (SCE#3) (apparently) ends today.

Posted by: bobik Sep 15 2022, 07:41 AM

New sequence of images of the front side of the HGA taken on https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/#!Table%20View/MCAM=instrument. It's almost the perfect retake of the sequence taken on http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=8418&view=findpost&p=256509. No obvious changes are visible in comparison to http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=8418&view=findpost&p=256112. The dark streak shows intriguing fine features of genuine bright dots and lines. I am wondering if the dark streak is the product of a one-time event, like a micrometeoroid impact.

Posted by: bobik Nov 11 2022, 07:33 AM

Today ends Payload Checkout #8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbp2_BZ1TcQ#t=32m19s Platform Checkout #8, CSW 3.3.5 (Central Software) update, and SEPS#14 (Solar Electric Propulsion Subsystem) thrusting maneuver throughout December.

Posted by: bobik Dec 13 2022, 07:32 AM

http://estracknow.esa.int/#/2022-12;mission=BEPI data indicates some unspecified problems with BepiColombo starting with 5 December. On 8 December, today's planned DDOR pass was replaced by a TTC pass and for tomorrow (14 December) a so-called "BEPI SM* recovery" was scheduled, according to information available through the http://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/bscs-qla/home (QLA) tool. ESTRACKnow statistics also suggest unscheduled communication passes on 9 and 10 December. EDIT: Whatever the current status of BepiColombo, it seemingly does not interfere with the operation of the https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/#!Table%20View/MCAM=instrument.

* BTW, SM probably means Safe Mode.

Posted by: bobik May 27 2023, 04:29 PM

According to public available information at the first day of http://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/bscs-qla/home, because of unknown reasons, http://estracknow.esa.int/#/2023-05;mission=BEPI could be established with BepiColombo on 2023-05-15. On the following days it seems all worked according to plan again.

Posted by: nogal Jun 16 2023, 11:55 AM

BepiColombo is making it's next flyby of Mercury on Monday, June 19th.
According to ESA, several images will be taken by the monitoring cameras, with a first release of the images on June 20th.

Here is the link to the full article:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/BepiColombo_braces_for_third_Mercury_flyby

Fernando

Posted by: nogal Jun 20 2023, 11:16 AM

Here is the first image (from yesterday, June 19) still inbound and 121000 Km away:



The horizontal stripe is an artifact. More images are promised for later today.

Fernando

Posted by: Quetzalcoatl Jun 20 2023, 04:40 PM


Bonsoir,

Link to the other images in this third flyby :

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/A_trio_of_images_highlight_BepiColombo_s_third_Mercury_flyby


Posted by: bobik Jun 22 2023, 06:11 AM

The 5th https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/2201/2201.05107.pdf (SCE#5) http://bepicolombo.esac.esa.int/bscs-qla/home, for which solely Estrack's https://esoc.esa.int/interplanetary-radioscience-estracks-dsa-3-antenna Malargüe station will be used for the next 14 days.

Posted by: nogal Jun 22 2023, 05:01 PM

And here is a flyby movie which also includes a reconstructed 3D view of a special interest area.
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/BepiColombo_s_third_Mercury_flyby_the_movie
Fernando

Posted by: bobik Jun 23 2023, 07:47 AM

Pre-3rd-flyby https://esait.webex.com/webappng/sites/esait/recording/e20ca056edaa103bb87f00505681d8c1/playback about the Shape-from-Shading (SFS) technique in the context of BepiColombo and the scientific utilization of the MCAM images in general.

Posted by: bobik Nov 25 2023, 07:35 AM

The https://www.spaceops.org/-2023 https://star.spaceops.org/user_manudownload.php?doc=457__tx1h1twx.pdf on BepiColombo flight operations is finally available, among others, it contains the first public, detailed account of two safe mode events which, by the way, were already noticed in this thread (see http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=8418&view=findpost&p=255868 and http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=8418&view=findpost&p=259285) and also some interesting statistics of in-flight anomalies.

Posted by: bobik Feb 27 2024, 03:39 PM

During the end of January the front side of the HGA once again came into view of MCAM3. No major changes are apparent. I wonder when official thoughts on https://web.archive.org/web/20221225155524/https://esoc.esa.int/content/bepicolombo-monthly-news-mar-2022 will transpire.


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