Chasing Comets in Space

Date: Fri, Jan 17, 2014 | 07:30 - 07:45 GMT | 08:30 - 08:45 CET

Replay: Fri, Jan 17, 2014 | 16:00 - 16:15 GMT | 17:00 - 17:15 CET

Type: ESA TV Exchange

Format: 16:9

This video explains how space missions have been chasing comets since the launch of the Giotto spacecraft in 1985. NASA's Stardust mission flew through a comet's tail in 2006 and brought a sample of dust back to Earth. Glycene was found in this sample, one of the four basic amino acids in our DNA. The video also demonstrates how to make a fake comet on Earth using a recipe of water ice, liquid nitrogen and fine carbon particles. By testing the fake comet and simulating the conditions of space, this will help scientists interpret data from ESA’s latest comet chaser - Rosetta. ! With ESA's comet chaser Rosetta expectations are great : for the first time a Probe will be flying alongside a comet and even placing a lander on its surface.

The video includes interviews with: Nicolas Thomas, Professor of Experimental Physics, University of Bern, in English (A-roll and B-roll); Gerhard Schwehm, Cometary scientist, ESA, in English (A-roll and B-roll); Hermann Böhnhardt, Senior Research Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, in English (A-roll and B-roll); Roger-Maurice Bonnet, Former Director of Science, ESA, in French with an English translation voiceover (A-roll).

More information at: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta

Preview and download:
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2014/01/Chasing_comets_VNR

Script:
EbS95715.doc

Satellite Parameters: Eutelsat 9A at 9 degrees E, transponder 59, downlink frequency 11900.1 horizontally polarised, symbol rate 27,500 FEC 2/3.