Laser altimeter BELA ready to explore Mercury's surface

The ESA and JAXA BepiColombo mission, launched on 20 October 2018, is entering the final stage of its journey to Mercury after nearly eight years of flight with gravity assists and solar-electric propulsion. The BELA laser altimeter is ready to study the planet's surface.

• BepiColombo launched on 20 October 2018
• Mission has been flying to Mercury for almost eight years
• BELA is a laser altimeter for surface mapping
• Project is a joint effort by ESA and JAXA