Topic: Mercury Mapper Is Really Hot Stuff

[sam]

Most of us have heard the expression “hot enough to cook eggs on the sidewalk”, but have we really thought about what kind of technology it would take to send a probe to Mercury? Just what kind of tests would we need to do to ensure a spacecraft could endure the kind of temperatures present while in orbit of the inner planet? It’s going to take more than a microwave set on high to find out…

http://www.universetoday.com/82607/mercury-mapper-is-really-hot-stuff/

[Clive]

I think it's another 3 years to launch date but it will come around soon enough.  I've just looked it up and it is expected to arrive at Mercury during 2020.  The Messenger probe was a great success and I'm certain that BepiColombo will build on that.