Space missions do not arrive at their destinations by chance. The planning, training and coordination required to place a spacecraft into orbit around another world can be just as demanding as those needed before launch – perhaps even more so.

Last month, BepiColombo teams from ESA, JAXA and industry partners gathered at ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, to begin a simulations campaign that will run through to the end of October.

For ESA Simulations Officer Petr Shlyaev, the gathering was particularly meaningful.

"Exactly eight years and two days ago we were in this room doing the same thing in preparation for Bepi's launch. The fact that we are now here means that everything has worked out well."

Petr has been coordinating preparations since mid-November last year, developing scenarios that test not only procedures, but people.

"People working together is what makes this mission work, especially when facing challenges – and Bepi is a challenge," says ESA BepiColombo Flight Director Ignacio Tanco. "If you see something that you don't understand during the simulation, you have to drill into it and treat it as you would in reality."