Rosetta and Philae, comet orbiter/lander robotic spacecraft, European Space Agency

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Visualising Rosetta's descent

Published on Sep 26, 2016

Animation visualising Rosetta's descent to Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko on 30 September 2016. The sequence is speeded up to show the relative motion of Rosetta and the rotating comet below.

Rosetta will target a smooth region close to several large pits measuring more than 100 m across and 60 m deep, on the small lobe of the comet.

The impact time is predicted as 11:20 GMT +/- 20 minutes on 30 September.

 

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Rosetta: Small particles, big science

Published on Sep 27, 2016

Small particles from Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, obtained by multiple instruments on the Rosetta mission, are furthering our understanding of some big science.

The formation and evolution of our Solar System played a vital role in how Earth, and the human race, came into existence. Since comets are remnants from our early Solar System, even a grain of microscopic dust can offer insight. Recently the orbiter’s COSIMA instrument discovered organic material in the form of carbon, far more complex than expected, inside several particles collected from the comet’s coma, or atmosphere. Its best match is a meteorite in the Orgueil collection, in France, which came from a now extinct comet.

The COSIMA, GIADA and MIDAS instruments have all been collecting particles but MIDAS is concentrating on those smaller than 50 micrometres. One of these particles is special as it has an unusual repeating, fractal-like structure, seen for the first time in a comet and thought to be a survivor of the violent compaction process during the comet’s formation.

Rosetta’s results are therefore having an impact on how scientists view the evolution of our Solar System, including our home planet.

 

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Once upon a time... Rosetta's grand finale

Published on Sep 27, 2016

Rosetta revisits the exciting scientific discoveries she made during her time at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, including the successful search to find Philae. Finally, she starts preparing to descend to the comet for the end of her extraordinary mission.

 

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The Rosetta legacy

Published on Sep 29, 2016

Besides its scientific and operational successes, the Rosetta mission has captured the imagination of many people worldwide, stimulating them to produce art and music, and undertake other creative activities with friends and families. Many even made further education or career choices inspired by the mission.This video features a selection of contributions that were shared on the Rosetta Legacy tumblr in September 2016.

 

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Once upon a time... mission complete

Published on Sep 30, 2016

On the last day of her incredible mission, Rosetta slowly descends to the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. After having sent her extraordinary data back home, she is ready to join Philae for a well deserved rest on the comet. But is there one last surprise in store?

 

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Rosetta end of mission

Published on Sep 30, 2016

Inside the main control room at ESA's operation centre as the Rosetta spacecraft sends its last signal from Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, confirming the end of the spacecraft’s 12.5 year journey in space.

 

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Rosetta’s complete journey around the comet

Published on Dec 22, 2016

Animation visualising Rosetta’s trajectory around Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, from arrival to mission end.

The animation begins on 31 July 2014, during Rosetta’s final approach to the comet after its ten-year journey through space. The spacecraft arrived at a distance of 100 km on 6 August, from where it gradually approached the comet and entered initial mapping orbits that were needed to select a landing site for Philae. These observations also enabled the first comet science of the mission.The manoeuvres in the lead up to, during and after Philae’s release on 12 November are seen, before Rosetta settled into longer-term science orbits.

In February and March 2015 the spacecraft made several flybys. One of the closest triggered a ‘safe mode’ that forced it to retreat temporarily until it was safe to draw gradually closer again.

The comet’s increased activity in the lead up to and after perihelion in August 2015 meant that Rosetta remained well beyond 100 km for several months.In June 2015, contact was restored with Philae again – albeit temporary, with no permanent link able to be maintained, despite a series of dedicated trajectories flown by Rosetta for several weeks.

Following the closest approach to the Sun, Rosetta made a dayside far excursion some 1500 km from the comet, before re-approaching to closer orbits again, enabled by the reduction in the comet’s activity.

In March–April 2016 Rosetta went on another far excursion, this time on the night side, followed by a close flyby and orbits dedicated to a range of science observations.

In early August the spacecraft started flying elliptical orbits that brought it progressively closer to the comet. On 24 September Rosetta left its close, flyover orbits and switched into the start of a 16 x 23 km orbit that was used to prepare and line up for the final descent.

On the evening of 29 September Rosetta manoeuvred onto a collision course with the comet, beginning the final, slow descent from an altitude of 19 km. It collected scientific data throughout the descent and gently struck the surface at 10:39 GMT on 30 September in the Ma’at region on the comet’s ‘head’, concluding the mission.

The trajectory shown in this animation is created from real data, but the comet rotation is not. Distances are given with respect to the comet centre (except for the zero at the end to indicate completion), but may not necessarily follow the exact comet distance because of natural deviations from the comet’s gravity and outgassing. An arrow indicates the direction to the Sun as the camera viewpoint changes during the animation.

 

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The amazing adventures of Rosetta and Philae

Published on Dec 23, 2016

Watch the amazing cartoon adventures of Rosetta and Philae, now back-to-back in one special feature-length production.

Find out how Rosetta and Philae first got inspired to visit a comet, and follow them on their incredible ten-year journey through the Solar System to their destination, flying around planets and past asteroids along the way. Watch as Philae tries to land on the comet and deals with some unexpected challenges!

Learn about the fascinating observations that Rosetta made as she watched the comet change before her eyes as they got closer to the Sun and then further away again. Finally, wish Rosetta farewell, as she, too, finishes her amazing adventure on the surface of the comet. Keep watching for one last surprise!

 

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Rosetta’s ongoing legacy

Published on May 30, 2017

Rosetta’s operational mission ended in September 2016, but for the scientists and instrument teams the mission is far from over. Scientists have only scratched the surface analysing the amount of data produced by the mission. As this information is scrutinised, new discoveries are made, including a surprise final extra image taken by the OSIRIS camera during the spacecraft’s controlled descent onto the comet.

 

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Rosetta’s ever-changing view of a comet

Published on Sep 24, 2017

These 210 images reflect Rosetta’s ever-changing view of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko between July 2014 and September 2016.

The sequence begins in the month leading up to Rosetta’s arrival on 6 August, when the comet was barely a few pixels in the field of view. Suddenly, the curious shape was revealed and Rosetta raced to image its surface, coming within 10 km, to find a suitable place for Philae to land just three months later.

Philae’s landing is featured with the ‘farewell’ images taken by both spacecraft of each other shortly after separation, and by Philae as it drew closer to the surface at its first touchdown point. An image taken at the final landing site is also shown.The subsequent images, taken by Rosetta, reflect the varying distance from the comet as well as the comet’s rise and fall in activity as they orbited the Sun.

Before the comet reached its most active phase in August 2015, Rosetta was able to make some close flybys, including one in which the lighting geometry from the Sun was such that the spacecraft’s shadow could be seen on the surface.

Then, owing to the increase of dust in the local environment, Rosetta had to maintain a safer distance and carry out scientific observations from afar, but this also gave some impressive views of the comet’s global activity, including jets and outburst events.

Once the activity began to subside, Rosetta could come closer again and conduct science nearer to the nucleus, including capturing more high-resolution images of the surface, and looking out for changes after this active period.

Eventually, as the comet returned to the colder outer Solar System, so the available solar power to operate Rosetta fell. The mission concluded with Rosetta making its own dramatic descent to the surface on 30 September 2016, the final images taken reflected in the last images shown in this montage.

 

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Rosetta science continues

Published on May 31, 2018

The Rosetta mission completed operations in September 2016, but the science is still going strong. Rosetta project scientist, Matt Taylor, gives a preview on the hottest science topics being discussed at the 49th Rosetta science workshop this week, and how the results will help guide future cometary exploration.

 

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Rosetta’s final images

Published on Jun 21, 2018

Enjoy this compilation of with the last images taken by Rosetta’s high resolution OSIRIS camera during the mission’s final hours at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. As it moved closer towards the surface it scanned across an ancient pit and sent back images showing what would become its final resting place.

 

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Interview with Rosetta’s camera team

Published on Jun 21, 2018

Members of the OSIRIS camera team, the high-resolution science camera onboard Rosetta, talk to ESA Web TV about the mission’s final images and finding Philae, as well as their latest discoveries and ongoing work.

The interview was filmed at Lindos on the Greek island of Rhodes, during the 49th Rosetta science team meeting in May 2018.

 

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Rosetta: the story continues

Published on Oct 1, 2018

This short movie shares an impression of some of the scientific highlights from Rosetta's mission at Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, as told through the voices of scientists working with Rosetta's vast dataset, two years after the mission ended.

Rosetta launched in 2004 and travelled for ten years to its destination before deploying the lander Philae to the comet's surface. Following the comet along its orbit around the Sun, Rosetta studied the comet's surface changes, its dusty, gassy environment and its interaction with the solar wind. Even though scientific operations concluded in September 2016 with Rosetta's own descent to the comet's surface, analysis of the mission's data will continue for decades.

Credits: This is an ESA Web TV production. The video contains artist impressions of the spacecraft (credit: ESA/ATG medialab) and animations/infographics by ESA. Images of the comet are from Rosetta's OSIRIS and NAVCAM cameras, as well as Philae's CIVA camera (credits: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA – CC BY SA 4.0; ESA/Rosetta/NavCam – CC BY-SA IGO 3.0; ESA/Rosetta/Philae/CIVA). Ground-based images were provided by Colin Snodgrass/Alan Fitzsimmons/Liverpool Telescope. The plasma visualisation is based on modelling and simulation by Technische Universität Braunschweig and Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, and visualised by Zuse-Institut Berlin. The animation of Philae's flight across the surface is based on data from Philae's ROMAP, RPC-MAG, OSIRIS, ROLIS, CIVA CONSERT, SESAME and MUPUS instrument teams, the Lander Control Centre at DLR and the Science Operation and Navigation Center at CNES.

 

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Latest from Rosetta

Oct 6, 2019

Three years after the Rosetta mission officially ended in 2016, scientists met at ESA’s ESTEC facility in The Netherlands to discuss the latest findings at the final Science Working Team (SWT) meeting.

From the launch in 2004, to its arrival at comet 67P in 2014, Rosetta has been an emotional and inspiring mission. Its findings have furthered our understanding of comets and changed our perceptions of how the Solar System formed.

The mission produced an enormous amount of data which will keep many scientists busy for years. The OSIRIS camera, for example, took 100 000 images. These are archived - with the analysis of images recently providing further insight into the comet’s activity.

Rosetta’s legacy of cometary science and data is not just continuing to produce more work, however, it’s also inspiring the next generation of scientists. Some began working on Rosetta as students and are now taking their experience forward onto ESA’s future Comet Interceptor mission.

 

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Rosetta's ongoing science

Nov 12, 2019

On 12 November 2014 Philae became the first spacecraft to land on a comet as part of the successful Rosetta mission to study comet 67P. Five years later, and after the mission’s official end in 2016, Rosetta is continuing to provide insights into the origins of our Solar System.

Rosetta’s instruments have already discovered that the comet contained oxygen, organic molecules, noble gases and ’heavy’ or deuterated water different to that found on Earth.
As scientists continue to analyse data from Rosetta’s instruments, including the ionised gas or plasma, the results are improving our understanding of comets. Mission data is also being delivered to an archive as a future resource.

Rosetta orbits the Sun every 6.5 years and will pass the Earth again, visible from ground-based telescopes, in 2021. ESA’s future Comet Interceptor mission will build on Rosetta’s success when it
performs a flyby of a comet. But, unlike Rosetta, the comet will be new to our Solar System.