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Rosetta bound for outer Solar System after final Earth swingby
13 November 2009
| Animation showing Rosetta's journey and the flyby geometry of the third and final Rosetta Earth swingby that takes place on 13 November 2009.
Credits: ESA (Animation by M. Graf) | |  |  | |
| | | | | | Artist view of ESA's Rosetta cometary probe. The spacecraft is covered with dark thermal insulation in order to keep its warmth while venturing into the coldness of the outer Solar System, beyond Mars orbit.
Selected in November 1993 as a cornerstone mission of ESA's long-term science programme, the Rosetta probe was launched by an Ariane 5 on 2 March 2004, on an 11-year journey to the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Built by EADS Astrium, the Rosetta probe consists of a 3,065-kg spacecraft (1,578-kg dry mass) designed to enter orbit around the comet's nucleus in August 2014 after a series of gravity assist manoeuvres to gain enough orbital energy, with three swing-bys at Earth (March 2005, November 2007 and November 2009) and one at Mars (February 2007). En route to the comet, the probe will flyby the asteroids 2867 Steins (September 2008) and 21 Lutetia (July 2010).
The spacecraft carries 11 science instruments to probe the comet's nucleus and map its surface in fine detail. It will also land a package of instruments (the Philae Lander) to study some of the most primitive, unprocessed material in the Solar System. The mission will provide clues to the physical and chemical processes at work during the formation of planets, beginning 4.6 billion years ago.
Credits: ESA - J. Huart | | | | |
| | | | Science close to Earth
| Image of the Earth acquired with the OSIRIS narrow-angle camera from a distance of 633 000 km on 12 November 2009 at 13:28 CET.
The resolution is 12 km/pixel.
The image is a part of a sequence of images taken every hour through one full rotation (24 hours). The movie will be published later.
Three images with an orange, green, and blue filter were combined to create this one. The illuminated crescent is centered roughly around the South Pole (South at the bottom of the image). The outline of Antarctica is visible under the clouds that form the striking south-polar vortex. Pack ice in front of the coastline with its strong spectacular reflection is the cause for the very bright spots on the image.
Credits: ESA ©2009 MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA | | | | |
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| | Rosetta Blog ESA's comet chaser Spacecraft Operations ESOC For the media Rosetta Earth swingby media presentationMedia Press KitRosetta factsheet (pdf)Rosetta on YouTube  ESA's comet chaser revisits EarthRelated articles Rosetta darting across the nightFirst view of Earth as Rosetta approaches homeESA spacecraft may help unravel cosmic mysteryRosetta approach on scheduleFollow Rosetta’s final Earth boostRosetta lined up nicely for Earth approachLast visit home for ESA’s comet chaserRosetta Blog live for final Earth swingbySteins: A diamond in the skyRosetta Steins fly-by confirmedMore information Will probe's upcoming fly-by unlock exotic physics? (New Scientist)In depth Rosetta in depth
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