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Mercury Planetary Orbiter
Mercury orbiter on the BepiColombo mission. Mercury Planetary Orbiter was launched on October 20, 2018 aboard a Ariane 5ECA from Kourou. Latest status in GCAT: left for deep space attached to another object (Oct 20, 2018).
COSPAR 2018-080ANORAD 43653European Space Agency
Identity
- Name in GCAT
- BepiColombo MPO
- Common name
- Mercury Planetary Orbiter
- Payload designation
- Mercury Planetary Orbiter
- Other names
- NAIF069
- International designator
- 2018-080A
- NORAD catalog number
- 43653
- GCAT identifier
- S43653
- UN registration
- ST/SG/SER.E/871
Mission
- Mission type
- Deep space
- Use
- Civil government
- Program
- ESA Plan
- Owner
- ESA
- Country
- European Space Agency
- Builder
- Airbus Defense and Space (UK)
- Platform (bus)
- MPO
Launch
- Date
- October 20, 2018 · 01:45 UTC
- Launch record
- 2018-080Success
- Rocket
- Ariane 5ECA
- Spaceport
- Kourou · pad ELA3
Orbit and fate
- Orbit class (GCAT)
- EEO
- Perigee
- 170 km
- Inclination
- 5.50°
- Status
- Left for deep space attached to another object
- Status date
- October 20, 2018
- Last known active
- Feb 26, 2023
Size
- Mass
- 1,838 kg
- Dry mass
- 1,169 kg
- Total mass with attached objects
- 4,121 kg
- Length
- 1.7 m
- Diameter
- 3.90 m
- Span
- 6.0 m
Deep space
- Deep-space catalog entry
- D01014
- Final central body
- Earth
- Phase start
- April 6, 2020
- Phase outcome
- Escaped to another body, attached · April 14, 2020
- Destination
- HCO
Flight phases
| From | Central body | Ended | Outcome | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 20, 2018 | Earth | Oct 24, 2018 | Escaped to another body, attached | HCO |
| Oct 13, 2020 | Venus | Oct 16, 2020 | Escaped to another body, attached | HCO |
| Aug 9, 2021 | Venus | Aug 12, 2021 | Escaped to another body, attached | HCO |
| Oct 1, 2021 | Mercury | Oct 2, 2021 | Escaped to another body, attached | HCO |
| Jun 23, 2022 | Mercury | Jun 23, 2022 | Escaped to another body, attached | HCO |
| Jun 19, 2023 | Mercury | Jun 20, 2023 | Escaped to another body, attached | HCO |
| Sep 4, 2024 | Mercury | Sep 5, 2024 | Escaped to another body, attached | HCO |
| Nov 30, 2024 | Mercury | Dec 2, 2024 | Escaped to another body, attached | HCO |
Source: GCAT payload, deep-space and lander catalogs, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata Q28472827 (CC0).