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Comet-Chaser Rosetta Ready For Launch

Posted by timothy on from the we-need-ice-cubes dept.

Karl Kennedy writes "Europe's Rosetta space mission, which aims to chase and then land on a comet, is standing by for lift-off in French Guiana. Once up in space, Rosetta will be placed in orbit around Earth before departing for the outer Solar System. In 2014, Rosetta will reach the comet and deliver a lander to its surface. The probe will perform three close fly-bys of the Earth and one of Mars in "slingshot" manoeuvres that will use the planets' gravity to help the probe build up speed."

8 of 33 comments (clear)

  1. Finally by Justin+Ames · · Score: 5, Funny

    The language barrier between earth and comets will be bridged by the Rosetta probe. Now, instead of harsher measures, we can talk a comet out of hitting us...

    1. Re:Finally by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, it's a European probe. Probably a good thing, too.

      --
      The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
  2. Godspeed, little probe. by TwistedGreen · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The engineering effort for something like this must be amazing. To launch this thing from Earth and have it eventually land on a moving comet... so much could go wrong.

    But I hope for the best, and I hope that the scientists involved discover what they're looking for. Onward and upward, in the name of discovery. Missions like these are what will truly benefit our understanding, a little bit at a time.

  3. Re:Orbit a comet? by Baron_Yam · · Score: 4, Informative

    Any two objects can orbit. Distance, speed, and outside gravitional effect must be taken into consideration, and one assumes the comet outmasses the probe (otherwise the comet would likely be described as orbiting the probe!), but there is no reason the probe couldn't enter into an orbit of the comet.

  4. I hope it has lots of cameras on it by glen604 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If it's flying around the solar system for 10 years until it meets it's comet destiny, it should make a pretty interesting interim astronomy platform. Then if it somehow crashes into the comet or dies en route it won't be a wasted mission.

    10 years is an awfully long time- lots of stuff could go wrong

  5. Orbit animation here... by snake_dad · · Score: 5, Informative

    IMHO this is ESA's biggest challenge thusfar. 10 years is a very long time to wait for results of your mission... This flash animation shows Rosetta's long journey. This mission is even more awe inspiring than Stardust or Deep Impact.

    --
    karma capped .sig seeking available Slashdot poster for long-term relationship.
  6. Re:Slingshots and speed by philbert26 · · Score: 5, Informative
    It works because the planet you slingshot around is moving. NASA has a page talking about it in quite some detail.

    Energy and momentum are conserved. A slingshot slows down the planet by a tiny bit (just like you move the Earth when you jump in the air). The speed at which you leave the planet isn't any faster relative to the planet, but since the planet itself is moving, your speed relative to what you're aiming at can be increased.

  7. Been done before, or close by Tau+Zero · · Score: 5, Informative

    The NEAR spacecraft landed on the asteroid Eros over 3 years ago. Eros is rather eccentric, spinning, and small by our usual standards.

    --
    Time is Nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once... the bitch.