BepiColombo's Close Flyby of Mercury Captured in Trio of Images.

The BepiColombo mission has completed its third flyby of Mercury, capturing images of a newly named impact crater, tectonic and volcanic features. The spacecraft is adjusting its trajectory for entering Mercury orbit in 2025. The next flyby is scheduled for September 2024. The mission will soon enter a challenging phase, gradually increasing the use of solar electric propulsion to brake against the enormous gravitational pull of the Sun. The spacecraft will complete over 15,000 hours of solar electric propulsion operations over its lifetime, guiding it towards Mercury orbit.