It is now over seven years since Rosetta left planet Earth. Europes space probe destined to rendezvous with and land on a comet in 2014 has now covered, in distance, some 85% of the journey. All has gone beautifully so far. On its way Rosetta has visited two asteroids, Steins and Lutetia, sending back valuable information and spectacular pictures. On 8 June 2011, after extensive tests, Rosetta will go into a silent hibernation, a deep sleep for over two & half years.

More backgroud information can be found on: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/index.html

This A-Roll and B-Roll explains the reasons for this hibernation with interviews with Andrea Accomazzo, ESA's Rosetta Spacecraft Manger (in English and Italian) and Rita Schulz, ESA Project Scientist for the Rosetta mission (in English and German).