Baseline Operation Planning for the High Resolution Imaging Channel of BepiColombo Mission to Mercury

The High Resolution Imaging Channel (HRIC) of the Spectrometer and Imagers for Mpo Bepicolombo Integrated Observatory – System (SIMBIO-SYS) onboard the BepiColombo mission to Mercury, is the visible imaging camera devoted to the detailed characterization of the Hermean surface. The potential huge amount of data that HRIC can produce must cope with the allocated mission resources in terms of power, data volume, and pointing maneuvers while accomplishing the scientific objectives of the mission. The purpose of this work is to present a preliminary approach for planning the HRIC observations during the nominal scientific phase and to discuss the outcomes of a test simulation which highlights the complexity of the planning process and the possible conflicts with respect to available resources.