The spacecraft Rosetta will on Wednesday after a journey of ten years, close to the comet 67P/Tsjoerjoemov-Gerasimenko. It is the very first satellite that will do this. The ‘kometenjager’ has now six billion kilometres travelled.
The European space agency ESA wants to Rosetta photos of the surface of the comet and measurements, thus the knowledge about the exact composition of comets to extend. That happens in the course of two years as the comet to the inner part of the solar system; the Rosetta will, during that period in an orbit around the comet rotate around it. The probe may then the changes of measure that occur because the comet closer to the sun.
Rosetta is since 2004 on the road, and has in recent years more than six billion kilometres travelled. Meanwhile the spacecraft close to the comet and will in november from thirty kilometers altitude, a lander down, which will pin down on the surface. The landing is difficult, because the gravity of the comet is not as large because the mass is much less than for example a planet.
The approach of the comet is between eleven and eleven thirty, Dutch time, and is on the site of Rosetta live to follow. The spacecraft is more than 404 million miles from earth, so the signal takes more than 22 minutes to reach the Earth.
Because during a part of the journey Rosetta was far away from the sun and the solar panels insufficient power generated, various non-essential parts of the satellite for a period of 31 months off. Meanwhile Rosetta is closer to the sun come up and the very efficient panels, by the Dutch company Dutch Space have been developed, be used again.
Update, 9:59: In the first instance was in this article that Rosetta Wednesday all countries, but that happens only in november.
Update 2, 13:50: Rosetta at the comet came and the probe to a photo sent back to Earth.
Rosetta’s photos of comet on Wednesday
Comments
(45)