#BepiColombo’s thrusters have fired in space for the FIRST TIME. The electric ion propulsion ‘jetpacks’ are now ready for routine firing from mid-December onwards, steering BepiColombo on its interplanetary trajectory ahead of its swingby of Earth in April 2020. See https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/BepiColombo_now_firing_on_all_cylinders&h=AT3wWajl5_lNkwB43iCE9mYdDA22bTD1RxvKy4Snplc-PpV5psPxYkyVJ0hRKx2WUB4jUKV55OyWOXcF_zldsXeP37GgK3tCVM07yci3pTH5Ldq-XkHhWM77EN6iIQCxIuUSxO4hz8cs_Owk_B5KuZEaF_OG_xaFc_sBXX-GUsvoLMEBTF7xEw