Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Rosetta arrives at comet destination

Source: ESA via Space Fellowship

NavCam animation 6 August. Copyright ESA/Rosetta/Navcam

“After ten years, five months and four days travelling towards our destination, looping around the Sun five times and clocking up 6.4 billion kilometres, we are delighted to announce finally ‘we are here’,” says Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA’s Director General.

“Europe’s Rosetta is now the first spacecraft in history to rendezvous with a comet, a major highlight in exploring our origins. Discoveries can start.”
...
“Over the next few months, in addition to characterising the comet nucleus and setting the bar for the rest of the mission, we will begin final preparations for another space history first: landing on a comet,” says Matt.
...
“Arriving at the comet is really only just the beginning of an even bigger adventure, with greater challenges still to come as we learn how to operate in this unchartered environment, start to orbit and, eventually, land,” says Sylvain Lodiot, ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft operations manager.
...
“After landing, Rosetta will continue to accompany the comet until its closest approach to the Sun in August 2015 and beyond, watching its behaviour from close quarters to give us a unique insight and realtime experience of how a comet works as it hurtles around the Sun.”
...

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comment Guidelines: In your first comment, please explain if you agree or disagree with statements made in the post. Please also be respectful of others at all times. Pretend like this is a competition to see who can be the most mature and the most intelligent. And remember, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you post here can and will be used against you. I will not delete your posts just because you are embarrassed that your comments make you look like an idiot. Others may or may not treat you with the same respect you have treated them. And finally, thanks for reading and thanks for your comments!