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Rosetta (spacecraft)

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Rosetta
Rosetta spacecraft
Artist's illustration of Rosetta
Mission typeComet orbiter/lander
OperatorESA
COSPAR ID2004-006A
SATCAT no.28169
Websiteesa.int/rosetta
Mission durationFinal: 12 years, 6 months, 28 days
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerAstrium
Launch massOrbiter: 2,900 kg (6,400 lb)
Lander: 100 kg (220 lb)
Dry massOrbiter: 1,230 kg (2,710 lb)
Payload massOrbiter: 165 kg (364 lb)
Lander: 27 kg (60 lb)
Dimensions2.8 × 2.1 × 2 m (9.2 × 6.9 × 6.6 ft)
Power850 watts at 3.4 AU[1]
Start of mission
Launch date2 March 2004, 07:17:51 (2004-03-02UTC07:17:51) UTC[2]
RocketAriane 5G+ V-158
Launch siteKourou ELA-3
ContractorArianespace
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Last contact30 September 2016, 10:39:28 (2016-09-30UTC10:39:29) UTC SCET
Landing siteSais, Ma'at region[3]
2 years, 55 days of operations at the comet
Flyby of Mars
Closest approach25 February 2007
Distance250 km (160 mi)
Flyby of 2867 Šteins
Closest approach5 September 2008
Distance800 km (500 mi)
Flyby of 21 Lutetia
Closest approach10 July 2010
Distance3,162 km (1,965 mi)
67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko orbiter
Orbital insertion6 August 2014, 09:06 UTC[4]
Orbit parameters
Periapsis29 km (18 mi)
Transponders
BandS band (low gain antenna)
X band (high gain antenna)
Bandwidthfrom 7.8 bit/s (S band)[5]
up to 91 kbit/s (X band)[6]
 

Rosetta was an ESA space probe. It went on a mission to study the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. The Rosetta mission had two parts: the Rosetta space probe and the Philae lander. The spacecraft was launched on 2 March 2004 by an Ariane 5 rocket. On 12 November 2014 Philae landed but soon lost electrical power and radio contact. Rosetta continued to examine the comet from orbit until 30 September 2016 when it landed.

References

[change | change source]
  1. "Rosetta at a glance — technical data and timeline". German Aerospace Center. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  2. "No. 1 - Rosetta in Good Health". Status Reports. European Space Agency. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  3. Baldwin, Emily (3 October 2016). "Rosetta impact site named Sais". European Space Agency. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  4. "Rosetta timeline: countdown to comet arrival". European Space Agency. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  5. "No. 2 — Activating Rosetta". European Space Agency. 8 March 2004. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  6. "We are working on flight control and science operations for Rosetta, now orbiting comet 67P, and Philae, which landed on the comet surface last week. Ask us Anything! AMA!". Reddit. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.