Rosetta on the way to Comet 67/P

ESA's Rosetta probe was successfully launched into space on 2nd March 2004 at 07:17 GMT. This transmission provides an overview of Europe's latest space exploration mission with the best pre-launch, launch and post-launch images/animations of its twelve years voyage through interplanetary space. The programme comprises of a 5 minute a-roll with split track and commentary and is complemented by a B-roll with clean international sound. The video includes:

00:20 Europe’s Rosetta cometry-probe begin its travel into deep space on it mission to discoverer the origin of life with its launch on an 2 March 2005, when it was put into space onboard an Ariane 5 rocket, from Kourou. Very nice video of Ariane 5 launch.

01:51 David Southwood, ESA Director of Science, speaks about the successful launch

02:28 The ESOC operations centre in Darmstadt will be controlling Rosetta on its voyage. The first planet encounter will be in March 2005 as Rosetta fly by the Earth, which will boost it towards Mars. In February 2007 Rosetta will pass 100km from Mars making science observations. This will be followed by another swing-by of Earth, November 2007. After the 3rd Earth fly-by in November 2009, Rosetta will head towards the comet.

03:30 Rosetta will pass twice through the asteroid belt making close-up studies of one or two asteroids.

03:39 By mid-2011 ESOC controllers will start Rosetta’s main engine to place it on the rendezvous course towards the comet, it will reach after three years.

03:53 Comets are believed to contain evidence of the chemical and physical conditions which led to the creation of the Sun and of the planets. Rosetta’s objective is to read thee “archives”. Rosetta will close in on its target in January 2014

04:22 Rosetta will then place itself in orbit in August 2014, around the Comet 67/P

04:41 Detailed maps will be taken of the Comet

04:51 In November 2014 a Lander will be descent to the comet surface.

05:10 Rira Schulz, Deputy Project Scientist, explains the problems of landing on a comet with low gravity.

05:37 The Lander is expected to operate several weeks, even months, investigating the comet.

05:52 Rosetta will continue its observations from above for over a year

06:08 In 1996 ESA’s Giotto probe had started the investigation of comet Halley.

06:36 The End