BepiColombo science themes

The science objectives of the BepiColombo mission cover all aspects of the planet and its environment. Broadly speaking, this will be achieved by studying the following themes:

The origin and evolution of a planet close to its parent star
The planet’s interior structure and composition
Characteristics and origin of its internal magnetic field
Surface processes, such as cratering, tectonics, polar deposits and volcanism
The structure, composition, origin and dynamics of Mercury's exosphere
The structure and dynamics of Mercury's magnetosphere
Einstein's Theory of General Relativity (by making precise measurements of the spacecraft’s orbit and position)