To summarize the points made by various authors in my previous post:

1) Bepi-Columbo will consist of two orbiters and a lander.
2) The first orbiter would map the surface using various instruments.
It will likely be in a MESSENGER-type orbit with a periapse over
Mercury's southern hemisphere for complementary coverage with
MESSENGER.
3) The second orbiter will focus on Mercury's magnetosphere and its
interaction with the solar wind. It will also carry a penetrator
similar to Deep Space 2 and Lunar-B. The lander will function for at
least a week, maybe more depending on it it gets much sun. The lander
will carry seismograph and other instruments. The magnetospheric
orbiter and the lander will use the imaging orbiter as a relay.
4) The ESA will cooperate with the Japan on this mission (Japan had
been planning to send a Mercury mission of its own).
5) It is possible that the imaging orbiter may get scrapped due to the
competing orbiter from NASA.
6) The biggest draw for BepiColumbo is the lander.

Jason Perry
volcanopele@...