Planet Mercury

Date: Tue, Oct 16, 2018 | 06:30 - 06:45 GMT | 08:30 - 08:45 CEST

Replay: Tue, Oct 16, 2018 | 15:00 - 15:15 GMT | 17:00 - 17:15 CEST

Type: ESA TV Exchange

Format: 16:9

Among the four inner Solar System planets, Mercury is the smallest and very dense, its vast iron core dominating its internal structure.

As the closest planet to the Sun it experiences extreme temperature variations at its surface, from about +430ºC, down to –180ºC. It has permanently shadowed regions at its poles that never see sunlight and thus enables ice to exist on its floor. Mercury’s ancient, cratered surface shows signs of past volcanic and tectonic activity, and is heavily weathered by the harsh space environment.

This A&B Roll explains what we know so far about Mercury and what we want to achieve by sending BepiColombo ESA JAXA Mission to Mercury next 19 October from Europe' Spaceport in Kourou.  

More information at: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/BepiColombo

Preview and download:
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2018/10/Planet_Mercury

Script:
BepiColombo_planet mercury_FINAL.docx

Satellite Parameters: Eutelsat 9A at 9 degrees E, transponder 59, downlink frequency 11900.1 horizontally polarised, symbol rate 27,500 FEC 2/3.