After eight years of travel, the BepiColombo spacecraft is finally about to reach Mercury. On 3 September 2026, the mission will begin one of the most difficult arrival sequences ESA has ever attempted. The first step is a separation that must go perfectly, and the agency is inviting the world to watch it live.
A Critical Separation After Eight Years Together
BepiColombo is a joint mission between ESA and JAXA, Japan's space agency. It consists of three parts: the Mercury Transfer Module, which powered the journey, and two science orbiters. For eight years, these parts have traveled as one stacked spacecraft. On 3 September, the transfer module will separate from the two orbiters. This is the first major step in the arrival sequence.
The separation will happen while the spacecraft is near Mercury. The European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, will oversee the operation. ESA will livestream the event starting at 13:45 CEST. Viewers can watch on YouTube or LinkedIn. The broadcast will include live views from the Main Control Room and expert commentary from ESA and JAXA specialists.
What Happens After Separation
After the transfer module separates, the two orbiters will continue together. In November, they will enter orbit around Mercury as a pair. Then, in December, they will separate from each other. Science operations are scheduled to begin in April 2026. But before that, teams on Earth will wait for a signal from the spacecraft. They need to confirm the separation went well and that the spacecraft is healthy.
Getting to Mercury is hard, but arriving is even harder. The planet's gravity and the Sun's pull make orbital insertion tricky. This mission has been designed to handle that challenge. The separation on 3 September is just the beginning of a multi-step process that will take months to complete.
The livestream is not just for space enthusiasts. It is a chance to see a real mission control team at work during a critical moment. The teams in Darmstadt have trained for years for this. Now, the world can watch as they take the first step toward putting two orbiters around the closest planet to the Sun.
