3Pre-IntermediateKidsAges 9-11Science

A Spacecraft Is Finally Arriving at Mercury!

After eight years in space, a spacecraft called BepiColombo is arriving at Mercury! It traveled 6 billion miles to reach the smallest planet near the Sun. Scientists are very excited to learn new things about this tiny, hot world!

1 min readLevel 3September 6, 2026

By Flalingo Editorial Team

Vocabulary

Study these words before reading the article. Click the audio button to hear pronunciation.

spacecraft

/ˈspeɪskræft/

noun

A vehicle that travels in space

“The spacecraft flew past the Moon on its way.”

arrive

/əˈraɪv/

verb

To get to a place after traveling

“We will arrive at school before nine o'clock.”

explore

/ɪkˈsplɔːr/

verb

To travel to a new place to learn about it

“I want to explore the forest near my house.”

planet

/ˈplænɪt/

noun

A large round object in space that moves around a star

“Earth is the planet where we all live.”

discover

/dɪˈskʌvər/

verb

To find something new or learn something for the first time

“She was happy to discover a new kind of flower.”

excited

/ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/

adjective

Feeling very happy and full of energy about something

“The children were excited about the school trip.”

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Article

Click on any underlined word to see its definition. Highlighted words are from the vocabulary section.

A spacecraft is arriving at Mercury! It is called BepiColombo. It left Earth eight years ago. It traveled 6 billion miles through space! That is a very, very long trip. Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system. It is also the closest planet to the Sun.

Mercury is very hard to explore. It is so close to the Sun. The Sun's heat makes it very hot there. BepiColombo has two special robots inside it. They will fly around Mercury together. One robot will look at the planet. The other will study the space around it.

Scientists want to learn how Mercury was born. They also want to know what is inside it. BepiColombo will start its science work in 2027. This is a very exciting time for space fans! We will discover new things about this tiny planet.

Comprehension Quiz

Test your understanding of the article with these multiple-choice questions.

1
What is BepiColombo?
2
How far did BepiColombo travel?
3
Why is Mercury hard to explore?
4
How many special robots does BepiColombo carry?
5
When will BepiColombo start its science work?

Discussion

Answer these comprehension questions about the article.

1
What is the name of the spacecraft going to Mercury?
2
How many years did BepiColombo travel in space?
3
Why is Mercury hard to explore?
4
How many robots does BepiColombo have inside it?
5
When will BepiColombo start its science work?

Further Discussion

Share your opinions on these open-ended questions.

1
If you could visit any planet, which one would you choose and why?
2
What would you do if you were an astronaut in space?
3
Can you think of three things you would take on a trip to space?
4
What is your favorite thing about space and the stars?
5
If you could name a new planet, what name would you give it?

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