2 spacecraft headed to Mercury are about to begin their long-awaited arrival for Europe and Japan — watch it live on Sept. 3

The BepiColombo mission, a collaborative effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and JAXA, is poised to commence its extended approach to Mercury on September 3rd. This critical phase marks the beginning of the spacecraft’s journey toward the innermost planet, representing a significant milestone in the overall mission timeline. The event will be broadcast live, offering global audiences an opportunity to witness this historic moment firsthand. Scientists anticipate that the initial maneuvers will last approximately six hours, focusing on trajectory corrections as the probes get closer to their destination. Following this arrival phase, BepiColombo will continue its orbital adjustments around Mercury before commencing detailed scientific observations.