The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Visualisation of how comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko will appear in Rosetta’s OSIRIS narrow angle camera between May and August 2014. During this time, the 4 kilometre-wide comet will ‘grow’ in Rosetta’s field of view from appearing to have a diameter of less than 1 camera pixel to well over 2000 pixels – equivalent to a resolution of around 2 metres per pixel – allowing the large surface features to be resolved.
The comet featured in this animation is an artist’s impression. It is shown to scale, but the shape and surface details are only representative. In addition, the real comet will be rotating during Rosetta’s approach. The planets are not to scale.