Animated sequence illustrating Rosetta's slew

Rosetta is expected to pass the Red Planet at 250 km altitude and 36 191 km/hr with respect to Mars at closest approach. The swingby should reduce Rosetta's velocity with respect to the Sun by 7887 km/hr, and the spacecraft should depart Mars travelling at 78 779 km/hr relative to the Sun.  
 
Timeline of major activities
 
Note: Times shown are ground event times in Central European Time, equivalent to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) + 1 hour. Spacecraft event time is 17 mins 33 secs earlier.
 
 
23 February
 

17:32	First of a series of slew manoeuvres to perform instrument calibrations
19:30	Flight Control Team in ESOC's Main Control Room (MCR) around the clock

24 February
 
 

	View from Earth: Rosetta passing Mars

~14:00

Webcam in MCR switched on (access via link at right)

18:35	Additional slew manoeuvres to perform Mars observations with onboard instruments
22:30	End of observations until after Mars swingby

 
 
25 February
 

02:15	-- All payload instruments switched off; CIVA camera (onboard lander) remains in operation and scheduled to take images -- Loss of telemetry; S-band carrier signal remains
03:13	-- Occultation starts; Rosetta behind Mars -- Loss of S-band signal; no communication with spacecraft
03:15	-- Closest approach to Mars (250 km) -- Start of eclipse; no visibility for camera; no sunlight on solar panels
03:28	-- End of occultation; S-band carrier signal back -- Receipt of S-band carrier signal provides initial technical confirmation of swingby success
03:40	End of eclipse; sunrise above Mars
03:50	Start of Phobos and Mars tracking with additional scientific observations
03:52	-- Acquisition of telemetry (radio signal & data); full technical confirmation of swingby success -- Downloading of science data begins
After 13:00	Results expected to be available on ESA portal

 
 

	New Norcia: ESA's first 35m deep-space station

ESA/NASA interagency cooperation supports Rosetta
 
Increased ground tracking support has been scheduled throughout the swingby period.

In addition to ESA's 35m deep-space station at New Norcia, NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) stations at Goldstone, Canberra and Madrid will participate.

The two agencies often work together and regularly share tracking station resources.