ESA's BepiColombo Spacecraft Begins Tricky Approach to Mercury

The European Space Agency's (ESA) BepiColombo mission has begun its crucial final approach to Mercury. The two probes, which are attached, successfully separated from their transfer module, a critical first step in the complex maneuver. The mission, with its 16 instruments and $2.0-billion budget, is expected to provide unprecedented views of Mercury and open a new chapter in understanding the solar system.