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Rosetta begins its 10-year journey to the origins of the Solar System

2 March 2004

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Rosetta successfully lifted off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 04:17 local time (08:17 CET) on 2 March 2004

Credits: ESA/CNES/ARIANESPACE-Service Optique CSG, 2004

A 10-year odyssey

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During the course of its journey to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Rosetta, is making use of several gravitational ‘kicks’: one at Mars on 25 February 2007 (250 km distance) and three at Earth: 4 March 2005 (1995 km distance), 13 November 2007 (5301 km distance) and 13 November 2009 (2500 km distance). Manoeuvres to correct Rosetta's orbit take place before and after each swing-by.

Credits: ESA, image by AOES Medialab

Rendezvous with a comet

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An artist's impression of the Rosetta orbiter and lander

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This artist's impression shows the Rosetta spacecraft, its lander, and a comet.

Rosetta’s 11-year mission began in 2004, with an Ariane-5 launch from Kourou in French Guiana. The three-tonne spacecraft is on its way towards the outer Solar System.

Credits: ESA 2001

Probing the comet

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Credits: DLR

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The Rosetta Stone, discovered in 1799, was the key to unravelling the civilisation of ancient Egypt.

The European Space Agency’s unprecedented mission of cometary exploration is named after the famous ‘Rosetta Stone’. This slab of volcanic basalt – now in the British Museum in London – was the key to unravelling the civilisation ancient Egypt. French soldiers discovered the unique Stone in 1799, as they prepared to demolish a wall near the village of Rashid (Rosetta) in Egypt’s Nile delta. The carved inscriptions on the Stone included hieroglyphics – the written language of ancient Egypt – and Greek, which was readily understood. After the French surrender in 1801, the 762 kg Stone was handed over to the British.

Credits: Courtesy of the British Museum

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