Rosetta swing-by a success


Rosetta closest to Earth
 
Swing-by animation
 
 
13 November 2007
 
An important milestone has just been accomplished as Rosetta successfully swung by Earth at 21:57 CET. The spacecraft will now be catapulted towards the outer Solar System with its newly-gained energy before coming back to Earth for another boost.
 
As mission operators waited for the fully automated manoeuvre to be carried out, Rosetta flew directly above 63° 46’ South and 74° 35’ West, at 21:57 CET (above the Pacific ocean, south-west of Chile). Rosetta whizzed past 5295 km overhead, at a velocity of 45 000 km/h (12.5 km/s).

Europe’s comet chaser has now flown a little over 3000 million km of its 7100 million-km journey on its way to its destination Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This was the third planetary swing-by for Rosetta and its second swing-by of Earth.
  
 
Rosetta closest to Earth
   
Rosetta closest to Earth
 
Science close to Earth
  
Around closest approach, Rosetta took a good look at Earth for observations of its atmosphere and magnetosphere, imaged urban regions, and looked for meteors from space. Shortly before midnight, Rosetta will turn to observe the Moon until about 11:00 CET tomorrow, 14 November. Following this, on 15, 16, 18 and 20 November, Rosetta will observe the Earth-Moon system from a distance, on its outbound trajectory.

Scientists are now eagerly awaiting some of the first data to become available during the course of the night.

Rosetta will be back in our neighbourhood, and will swing by Earth for the last time in November 2009. But before that, as it crosses the asteroid belt, Rosetta will grab the opportunity to study asteroid Steins during a fly-by in September 2008.

Tune in early tomorrow morning: we will be publishing pictures and results as soon as they become available, throughout the day on 14 November.
  
 
 For more information:
  
Gerhard Schwehm, ESA Rosetta Mission Manager
Email: Gerhard.Schwehm @ esa.int

Andrea Accomazzo, ESA Rosetta Spacecraft Operations Manager
Email: Andrea.Accomazzo @ esa.int

Rita Schulz, ESA Rosetta Project Scientist
Email: Rita.Schulz @ esa.int
  
 
 •  Rosetta Blog (http://webservices.esa.int/blog/blog/5/)
 •  ESA's comet chaser (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/index.html)
 •  Space Operations &
Situational Awareness (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/index.html)

Related ESApod

 •  Rosetta swing-by update (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMDJF53R8F_index_0.html)
 •  Rosetta Earth swing-by (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ESApod/SEM0F253R8F_0.html)

Related ESA blogs

 •  Rosetta Blog (http://webservices.esa.int/blog/blog/5/)

For the media

 •  Media Press Kit (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMJ09374OD_1_spk.html)
 •  Rosetta 2nd Earth swing-by Q & A (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMUZ053R8F_index_0.html)

Related articles

 •  Images of Earth and Moon captured by Rosetta (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXWN53R8F_index_0.html)
 •  Rosetta right on track for Earth swing-by (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMCQH53R8F_index_0.html)
 •  Rosetta closes in on Earth – a second time (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMC20VOM8F_index_0.html)
 •  Boosting the accuracy of Rosetta's Earth approach (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMKB9JJX7F_index_0.html)
 •  Rosetta teams up with New Horizons (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMTUJN0LYE_index_0.html)
 •  Rosetta delivers Phobos transit animation and 'sees' Mars in stereo (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM9R6N0LYE_index_0.html)
 •  Rosetta successfully swings by Mars (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMVE2CE8YE_index_0.html)
 •  Stunning view of Rosetta skimming past Mars (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMFTZM0LYE_index_0.html)
 •  Rosetta lander measures Mars' magnetic environment around close approach (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMFQ0N0LYE_index_0.html)
 •  Beautiful new images from Rosetta’s approach to Mars: OSIRIS UPDATE (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMUDT70LYE_index_0.html)

Related links

 •  New Norcia - DSA 1 (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMGSDSMTWE_0.html)