BepiColombo set for third Mercury flyby.

The BepiColombo mission is preparing for its third flyby of Mercury on June 19, which will help the spacecraft fight against the enormous gravitational pull of the Sun. The flyby will take place at an altitude of about 236 km and will be used to guide BepiColombo's path through the inner Solar System. The mission will enter a challenging part of its journey to Mercury after this flyby, gradually increasing the use of solar electric propulsion through additional propulsion periods called 'thrust arcs'. The flyby will provide a glimpse of the Mercury science expected during the main mission.