Exploration of Mercury

The first probe to visit Mercury was Mariner 10.
View of Mercury from Mariner 10 in March 1975.

The exploration of Mercury has long had a minor role in the space interests of the world. It is the least explored inner planet. As of 2025, the Mariner 10, MESSENGER and BepiColombo missions have been the only spacecraft that have made close observations of Mercury. MESSENGER made three flybys before entering orbit around Mercury. A third mission to Mercury, BepiColombo, a joint mission between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the European Space Agency, is to deliver two probes into Mercury orbit in 2026, having previously made six flybys of the tiny planet. MESSENGER and BepiColombo are intended to gather complementary data to help scientists understand many of the mysteries discovered by Mariner 10's flybys.

Compared to other planets, Mercury is difficult to explore. The speed required to reach it is relatively high, and its proximity to the Sun makes it difficult to maneuver a spacecraft into a stable orbit around it. As a result, all spacecraft sent to visit Mercury as of 2025 have required a complex trajectory of gravity assists, highly efficient ion propulsion, or both. The thermal environment around Mercury is also challenging, with probes utilizing sunshields, specially designed materials, or radiators to survive the heat so close to the Sun.

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