BepiColombo sunshield at the Spaceport

The Magnetospheric Orbiter Sunshield and Interface Structure (MOSIF) that will protect the Japanese Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter of the ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission en route to Mercury, pictured here during launch preparations at Europe's Spaceport.

BepiColombo is Europe's first mission to Mercury, due to launch this year on a journey to the smallest and least explored terrestrial planet in the inner Solar System. When it arrives at Mercury in late 2025, it will endure temperatures in excess of 350 °C.