# BepiColombo 3D model

> Shape built from published dimensions and pictures; details simplified.

Free 3D model of BepiColombo, a deep-space probe, built from published dimensions by Space Radar. 7,332 triangles, 38 kB glTF, MIT.

- **Class:** Deep-space probes
- **Mission:** Planetary science
- **Triangles:** 7,332
- **File:** bepicolombo.glb, 38 kB, glTF 2.0 binary (meshopt)
- **Look:** Flat colours
- **Size:** 30 m across
- **Made:** Built from dimensions
- **Added:** 2026-10-20
- **Download:** https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sara-Managed-Projects/space-radar/main/site/models/bepicolombo.glb
- **Mirror:** https://git.sara-agent.org/sara-projects/space-radar/raw/branch/main/site/models/bepicolombo.glb
- **Viewer:** https://www.spaceradar.ai/model/?id=bepicolombo
- **On the live map:** https://www.spaceradar.ai/#at=deep-bepicolombo
- **Licence:** MIT (https://github.com/Sara-Managed-Projects/space-radar/blob/main/LICENSE)
- **Credit:** BepiColombo 3D model by Space Radar (spaceradar.ai), MIT License

Canonical: https://models.spaceradar.ai/bepicolombo/

## How it was made

Built in code from published dimensions and photographs, with no image-to-3D generator and no one else’s mesh. 3D model: built by Space Radar from published dimensions and figures by Benkhoff et al. 2021 and Magnafico et al. 2024 (CC BY 4.0).

built by this project in code (the private tool model-from-images: assemble.py, from a yaml of primitives), from the cited dimensions and the pictures under `references`; no image-to-3D model was used, and no published mesh (NASA Science's 3D models, 100 resources listed 2026-10-15, and NASA's 3D Resources, 1 583 paths, have none of this craft); NO ESA PICTURE OR MODEL IS IN THE FILE: ESA's published numbers were read as numbers. ESA's terms for the images on its site, read 2026-10-15 (https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Terms_and_Conditions): 'The website of the European Space Agency (the ESA Website) provides to users an online access to space images and videos for education, editorial and/or information purposes only. All other uses (e.g. commercial ones) are excluded and require a specific licence.' No JAXA picture was used. The layout was read off two figures of papers published under CC BY 4.0 (credited under references)

## Dimensions

- Composite x: 3.9 m
- Composite y: 3.6 m
- Height: 6.3 m
- Span: 30 m
- Mpo: 2.4 m
- Mpo y: 2.2 m
- Mpo z: 1.7 m
- Radiator: 3.7 m
- Mpo wing: 7.5 m
- Mio: 1.8 m
- Mio height: 1.1 m

Source: ESA, 'BepiColombo factsheet', https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/BepiColombo_factsheet, OPENED 2026-10-15: 'Composite spacecraft: 3.9 x 3.6 x 6.3 m (~30 m with MTM solar wings deployed)'; 'MPO: 2.4 x 2.2 x 1.7 m; radiator width: 3.7 m, solar wing (deployed): 7.5 m'; 'MMO: 1.8 m diameter, 1.1 m high'. Benkhoff et al. 2021, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-021-00861-4 (CC BY 4.0), OPENED 2026-10-15: 'The two wings of the transfer module total about 42 m2 and have to be rotated away from the Sun to avoid overheating.'; 'the MPO solar panel, which has a length of about 7.5 m'; 'The solar array is a single 3-panel wing with one side covered with solar cells.'; 'The conical shape of the MOSIF – with an opening angle of about 16° - is needed'; 'The external appearance has an octagonal shape, which can be surrounded by a 1.8 m diameter circle. The height of the side panel is 1.1 m'; 'using its four 125 mN ion thrusters'. eoPortal, https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/bepicolombo, OPENED 2026-10-15: 'its solar wings extending about 14 m either side of the module'; 'the two 15 meter-long solar arrays of the BepiColombo MTM'; 'a 2-axis steerable 1.1 m diameter HGA (High Gain Antenna)'; 'The 2.5 m long boom carrying the magnetometer sensors'; 'The scaled-up T6 thrusters are 22 cm in diameter'. DERIVED: each MTM panel 2.4 x 1.75 m (42 m2 over ten), the yoke 1.3 m (30 m span). OURS: the MTM box 3.6 x 3.4 x 2.0 m, the split of the 6.3 m stack, the MPO's wing panels, the sunshield's height, every antenna's pointing.

## References

- [BepiColombo cruise configuration](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BepiColombo_cruise_configuration.webp), J. Benkhoff et al. 2021, CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0 (J. Benkhoff et al., 'BepiColombo - Mission Overview and Science Goals', Space Sci. Rev. 217:90 (2021), Fig. 10; Commons' LicenseShortName, read 2026-10-15))
- [BepiColombo MCS composition](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BepiColombo_MCS_composition.png), C. Magnafico et al. 2024, CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0 (C. Magnafico et al., arXiv:2409.02015; Commons' LicenseShortName, read 2026-10-15))
- [BepiColombo MPO ESTEC](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BepiColombo_MPO_ESTEC.jpg), SkywalkerPL (Wikimedia Commons) (CC BY 3.0 (SkywalkerPL, own work; Commons' LicenseShortName, read 2026-10-15))
- [BepiColombo stack cropped](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BepiColombo_stack_cropped.jpg), ESA (CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (ESA; read 2026-10-15): share-alike, LOOKED AT ONLY for the blankets, never fetched by the tool and not on any sheet)