Rosetta (spacecraft)
European orbiter sent to study a comet / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Rosetta was a space probe built by the European Space Agency launched on 2 March 2004. Along with Philae, its lander module, Rosetta performed a detailed study of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (67P).[9][10] During its journey to the comet, the spacecraft performed flybys of Earth, Mars, and the asteroids 21 Lutetia and 2867 Šteins.[11][12][13] It was launched as the third cornerstone mission of the ESA's Horizon 2000 programme, after SOHO / Cluster and XMM-Newton.
Mission type | Comet orbiter/lander | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Operator | ESA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
COSPAR ID | 2004-006A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
SATCAT no. | 28169 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | esa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mission duration | Final: 12 years, 6 months, 28 days | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spacecraft properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manufacturer | Astrium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch mass | Combined: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) Orbiter: 2,900 kg (6,400 lb) Lander: 100 kg (220 lb) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dry mass | Orbiter: 1,230 kg (2,710 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Payload mass | Orbiter: 165 kg (364 lb) Lander: 27 kg (60 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dimensions | 2.8 × 2.1 × 2 m (9.2 × 6.9 × 6.6 ft) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Power | 850 watts at 3.4 AU[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Start of mission | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch date | 2 March 2004, 07:17:51 (2004-03-02UTC07:17:51) UTC[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rocket | Ariane 5G+ V-158 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch site | Kourou ELA-3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contractor | Arianespace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
End of mission | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Disposal | Deorbited | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last contact | 30 September 2016, 10:39:28 (2016-09-30UTC10:39:29) UTC SCET | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Landing site | Sais, Ma'at region[4] 2 years, 55 days of operations at the comet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flyby of Earth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closest approach | 4 March 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance | 1,954 km (1,214 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flyby of Mars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closest approach | 25 February 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance | 250 km (160 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flyby of Earth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closest approach | 13 November 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance | 5,700 km (3,500 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flyby of 2867 Šteins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closest approach | 5 September 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance | 800 km (500 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flyby of Earth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closest approach | 12 November 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance | 2,481 km (1,542 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flyby of 21 Lutetia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closest approach | 10 July 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance | 3,162 km (1,965 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko orbiter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Orbital insertion | 6 August 2014, 09:06 UTC[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Orbital parameters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Periapsis altitude | 29 km (18 mi)[6] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Transponders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Band | S band (low gain antenna) X band (high gain antenna) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bandwidth | from 7.8-bit/s (S band)[7] up to 91 kbit/s (X band)[8] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ESA Solar System insignia for Rosetta |
On 6 August 2014, the spacecraft reached the comet and performed a series of manoeuvers to eventually orbit the comet at distances of 30 to 10 kilometres (19 to 6 mi).[14] On 12 November, its lander module Philae performed the first successful landing on a comet,[15] though its battery power ran out two days later.[16] Communications with Philae were briefly restored in June and July 2015, but due to diminishing solar power, Rosetta's communications module with the lander was turned off on 27 July 2016.[17] On 30 September 2016, the Rosetta spacecraft ended its mission by hard-landing on the comet in its Ma'at region.[18][19]
The probe was named after the Rosetta Stone, a stele of Egyptian origin featuring a decree in three scripts. The lander was named after the Philae obelisk, which bears a bilingual Greek and Egyptian hieroglyphic inscription.