Spacecraft first reached the comet – RBC

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Spacecraft “Rosetta” for the first time in the history of mankind has not only made a comet, but came out on its orbit. This was reported on the website of the European Space Agency (ESA). Earlier terrestrial spacecraft studied comets for a short time while flying near these cosmic bodies.

purpose of the ten-year journey – “Rosetta” was launched into space March 2, 2004 – was the comet Churyumov – Gerasimenko (67R). During this time, the spacecraft flew a distance equal to 6.4 billion km.

After reaching orbit comet “Rosetta” will be accompanied by a celestial body in its orbital motion around the Sun. Probe stabilizes its speed so as to be 100 km from the comet. November 11, scientists planned operation on the landing on the comet nucleus lander, which will explore a celestial body within a few months.

Even during rapprochement with “Rosetta”, scientists were able to learn that the comet nucleus – double. Furthermore, it appears that at that time the average surface temperature of the celestial body was about minus 70 degrees Celsius.

During the flight, the spacecraft for 31 months was in sleep mode and does not get in touch with the Earth. Scientists have entered hibernation mode device in June 2011, when he was at a distance of 800 million km from the Sun, outside the orbit of Jupiter. In January 2014 the probe was at a distance of “only” 673 million km from the Sun, in the conditions when it reaches a sufficient amount of solar energy to provide power to all systems.

Comet 67R reaches the point of closest approach to the Sun 13 August 2015., at a distance of 185 million miles away, roughly between the orbits of Earth and Mars. “Rosetta” comet will follow before the end of 2015 as its distance from the Sun.

on ESA website created page devoted to stay “Rosetta.” It published pictures of the comet Churyumov – Gerasimenko and project news. For convergence of the probe and the comet could be seen on organized online broadcast.

Vladislav Gordeev

Photo: ci.esa.int
Spacecraft “Rosetta” is approaching comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

August 6, 2014