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Science & Exploration

Mercury Transfer Module solar wing deployment

06/07/2017 596 views 2 likes 380697 ID 00:04:12
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Video showing the deployment of one of the Mercury Transfer Module’s 12 m-long solar wings in ESA’s test centre. The craft has two wings, spanning about 30 m from tip-to-tip when both are deployed.

In the test centre, the five panels were supported from above to simulate the weightlessness of space. The wings will be folded against the spacecraft’s body inside the Ariane 5 launch vehicle and will only open once in space. Mechanisms lock each panel segment in place. They can be rotated with the solar array drive mechanism attached to the main body.

The module will use a combination of electric propulsion and multiple gravity assists at Earth, Venus and Mercury to carry BepiColombo’s two scientific orbiters – ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter and Japan’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter – to the innermost planet in our Solar System.

  • ESA
  • Interior Shot
  • Space Science
  • BepiColombo
  • ESTEC The Netherlands
  • Testing
  • Mercury Science and Robotic Exploration Solar arrays Space Exploration Space science Test Centre Testing
Deployment of MTM solar wing
Science & Exploration

Deployment of MTM solar wing

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Deployment of MTM solar wing
Science & Exploration

Deployment of MTM solar wing

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Mercury Transfer Module solar wing deployment
Science & Exploration

Mercury Transfer Module solar wing deployment

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Mercury Transfer Module solar wing deployment
Science & Exploration

Mercury Transfer Module solar wing deployment

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Mercury Transfer Module solar wing deployment
Science & Exploration

Mercury Transfer Module solar wing deployment

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