News > European Space Agency prepares for back-to-back flybys of Venus
European Space Agency prepares for back-to-back flybys of Venus
07/08/2021 05:26 PM | Click to read full article
The European Space Agency is preparing for back-to-back flybys of the same planet by two different spacecraft just one day apart.
On 9 August, the Esa-Nasa Solar Orbiter spacecraft will fly past Venus with a closest approach of 7,995km(4,968 miles). A day later, the Esa-Jaxa BepiColombo mission will make its pass at an altitude of just 550km(342 miles). Flying close to a planet is known as a gravitational assist.