Rosetta’s 10 year expedition will begin in January 2003, with an Ariane-5 launch from Kourou in French Guiana. The three-tonne spacecraft will first be inserted into a parking orbit, before being sent on its way towards the outer Solar System.
To communicate with Earth, Rosetta will use the impressive 35 metre parabolic antenna recently built by ESA in New Norcia near Perth, W. Australia.