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
Go to topicThis animation was produced by the Mission Analysis Team at ESOC and shows Rosetta swinging by the Earth on 4 March 2005 in the first of a series of four gravity assists (three with Earth, one with Mars) that will occur throughout the 10-year transfer to the target comet.
During closest approach, at 22:10 GMT on 4 March, Rosetta will be flying at an altitude of 1956 km above the Pacific Ocean just west of Mexico at a velocity relative to the Earth of 38,000 kph. The image has been artificially brightened to better show the Earth, which would naturally be much darker as Rosetta is approaching from the night side. Also, the image of Rosetta itself has been rotated to enable a better view of Earth receding. In reality, Rosetta orients its solar arrays permanently north and south with respect to its orbit plane. The panels thus remain directed fully towards the Sun while the craft's main body can be rotated to any direction in a full circle.