Funding: CNES
Principal investigator: F. Schmidt
GEOPS staff involved: F. Schmidt, F. Andrieu, J. Barron
Partners: H. Hussman (DLR – Berlin)
After a seven-year journey, the BepiColombo scientific mission will commence in December 2026. Our objective is to optimise the observation strategy and analyse data from the BELA waveform laser altimeter. This is a new generation of lidar, being used in space for the first time. Since January 2024, Frédéric Schmidt has been a scientific co-investigator for BELA as well as for GALA, a similar instrument on board the JUICE mission to Jupiter’s moons, particularly Ganymede. Over the coming years, this project will focus on BELA as data from this mission is expected before that from JUICE, although due to the similarity between the two instruments, much of the preparatory work will be carried out jointly.
The BepiColombo mission aims to understand the formation and evolution of Mercury using a comprehensive suite of instruments for the planet’s ionosphere, surface and interior. This project will focus on BELA, the next-generation time-of-flight lidar altimeter, capable of measuring the complete travel time of the wave with unprecedented precision. Thanks to this capability, the instrument will help resolve two key questions regarding the origin of the solar system: (i) the origin of ice in the permanently shadowed regions at the poles. (ii) quantitative geomorphology and comparative planetology.
The JUICE mission aims to understand the formation and evolution of Jupiter’s icy moons through a series of flybys starting in 2031 and to enter orbit around Ganymede in 2034. For the first time, we will have precise information about this fascinating icy moon