BepiColombo Finally Awakens: The Instrument About to Map Mercury in 3D

After nearly a decade asleep in space, a crucial instrument aboard the BepiColombo mission has finally been switched on.

The BELA laser altimeter survived years of extreme conditions and is now ready to map Mercury’s surface in unprecedented detail. When BepiColombo reaches its science orbit in 2027,

BELA will help create the most precise 3D maps ever made of the Solar System’s innermost planet. But what can these new maps reveal about the mysterious world closest to the Sun?

Thank you for listening to Bedtime Astronomy — your guide to the cosmos. New episodes on space exploration, NASA missions & the latest astronomy breakthroughs.

This episode includes AI-generated content.