Europe, Japan launch 7-year mission to Mercury
The European and Japanese space agencies on Saturday launched a seven-year mission, BepiColombo, to Mercury from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. It is only the third ever mission to visit Mercury after NASAâs Mariner 10 probe (launched in 1973) and its MESSENGER mission (2004). BepiColombo will fly-by Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury six times before entering Mercury's orbit.