Solar-electric thrusters to propel mission to Mercury

摘要

Qinetiq has signed a £23 million contract with EADS Astrium for the supply of the solar-electric propulsion system for the European Space Agency's BepiColombo mission to Mercury.rnBepiColombo, due to launch in 2014, will be Europe's first mission to Mercury - the innermost planet of the solar system where temperatures can reach 470℃. Because Mercury is so close to the Sun, the mission presents a range of technical challenges.