Philae lander makes historic touchdown on comet
Rosetta is a cornerstone mission to chase, go into orbit around, and land on a comet. It is studying the Jupiter-family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with a combination of remote sensing and in situ measurements. The spacecraft arrived at the comet on 6 August 2014 following a 10-year journey through the Solar System. Between August and November, the spacecraft has been orbiting the comet and gathering data to characterise the environment and the comet nucleus. On 12 November 2014, Rosetta's lander Philae will be deployed to the surface. Philae carries a suite of instruments for imaging and sampling the comet nucleus. The Rosetta orbiter will track the comet through perihelion (August 2015), examining its behaviour before, during and after.
The mission was first considered in the late 1970s and developed from a sample-return plan to the plan for a lander. It was approved in November 1993 by ESA’s Science Programme Committee. The original mission target had been comet 46P/Wirtanen, but this was changed to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko when it was clear that the launch would take place in 2004.
The spacecraft was launched from Kourou aboard an Ariane 5G+ on 2 March 2004. It required four gravity assists for its journey, one by Mars and three by Earth. Rosetta had already flown by the asteroids 2867 Steins (in 2008) and 21 Lutetia (in 2010), before entering deep space hibernation in June 2011.
The spacecraft was launched from Kourou aboard an Ariane 5G+ on 2 March 2004. It required four gravity assists for its journey, one by Mars and three by Earth. Rosetta had already flown by the asteroids 2867 Steins (in 2008) and 21 Lutetia (in 2010), before entering deep space hibernation in June 2011.
Rosetta has achieved major milestones in 2014. Following a planned exit from hibernation on 20 January, all of the spacecraft's instruments were checked as it continued on its journey to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The first science results were obtained even before the spacecraft arrived at the comet on 6 August 2014. On 12 November 2014, Rosetta's lander Philae will be deployed to the surface.
Here are the key dates of the Rosetta mission:
PHILAE'S INSTRUMENTS (WHITE BACKGROUND)
Date: 02 January 2014
Satellite: Rosetta
Depicts: Philae Lander
Copyright: ESA/ATG medialab
Satellite: Rosetta
Depicts: Philae Lander
Copyright: ESA/ATG medialab
Rosetta will deploy the Philae lander to the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko for in situ analysis with its 10 instruments:
APXS: Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (studying the chemical composition of the landing site and its potential alteration during the comet's approach to the Sun)
CIVA: Comet Nucleus Infrared and Visible Analyser (six cameras to take panoramic pictures of the comet surface)
CONSERT: COmet Nucleus Sounding Experiment by Radiowave Transmission (studying the internal structure of the comet nucleus with Rosetta orbiter)
COSAC: The COmetary SAmpling and Composition Experiment (detecting and identifying complex organic molecules)
PTOLEMY: Using MODULUS protocol (Methods Of Determining and Understanding Light elements from Unequivocal Stable isotope compositions) to understand the geochemistry of light elements, such as hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen
MUPUS: MUlti-PUrpose Sensors for Surface and Sub-Surface Science (studying the properties of the comet surface and immediate sub-surface)
ROLIS: Rosetta Lander Imaging System (providing the first close-up images of the landing site)
ROMAP: Rosetta Lander Magnetometer and Plasma Monitor (studying the magnetic field and plasma environment of the comet)
SD2: Sampling, drilling and distribution subsystem (drilling up to 23 cm depth and delivering material to onboard instruments for analysis)
SESAME: Surface Electric Sounding and Acoustic Monitoring Experiment (probing the mechanical and electrical parameters of the comet), comprising: CASSE (Comet Acoustic Surface Sounding Experiment), DIM (Dust Impact Monitor), and PP (Permittivity Probe).
| Event | Nominal date |
| Launch | 2 March 2004 |
| First Earth gravity assist | 4 March 2005 |
| Mars gravity assist | 25 February 2007 |
| Second Earth gravity assist | 13 November 2007 |
| Asteroid Steins flyby | 5 September 2008 |
| Third Earth gravity assist | 13 November 2009 |
| Asteroid Lutetia flyby | 10 July 2010 |
| Enter deep space hibernation | 8 June 2011 |
| Exit deep space hibernation | 20 January 2014 |
| Rendezvous manoeuvres begin | 7 May 2014 |
| Arrive at comet | 6 August 2014 |
| Start global mapping | 10 September 2014 |
| Lander delivery | 12 November 2014 |
| Perihelion passage | 13 August 2015 |
| End of mission | 31 December 2015 |
