日本航天航空研究开发组织机构(JAXA)下属的宇宙科学本部(ISAS,原宇宙科学研究所)与欧空局(ESA)经过认真研究和充分协商,于2003年签定了共同开发水星探测计划,也称之为“Bepi Colombo”。该计划由三颗轨道器组成,其中两颗为绕水星运行的水星轨道器,一颗是水星着陆器。水星是距太阳最近的一颗行星,迄今人类只发射过一颗水星探测器,即1973年11月3日美国发射的“水手”10 The Department of Cosmos Science (ISAS) and the European Space Agency (ESA), under the Japan Aerospace Exploration Organization (JAXA), have, after careful study and full consultation, signed a Joint Development Mercury Exploration Program in 2003, Also called “Bepi Colombo.” The plan consists of three orbiting devices, two of which are Mercury orbiting moons orbiting mercury. One is a Mercury lander. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, and so far only one Mercury has been launched by man, the “Mariner” 10 launched by the United States on November 3, 1973