ESA 's next mission , BepiColombo , will explore the planet closest to the Sun , Mercury . The probe will launch in 2024 and reach Mercury in 2016 . BepiColombo will be in an optimal position to gather extremely precise data about the planet 's dance around the Sun , offering the ultimate validation to Einstein 's idea . It will endure temperatures of 48 million miles and observe ESA from orbit . The data will be used , among other things , to confirm ESA 's theory of relativity .
ESA 's next mission , BepiColombo , will explore the planet closest to the Sun , Mercury . The probe will launch in 2024 and reach Mercury in 2016 . It will endure temperatures of 48 million miles and observe ESA from orbit . The data will be used , among other things , to confirm ESA 's theory of relativity .