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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Artist’s impression of the infant bow shock detected by ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
The spacecraft detected signs of a forming bow shock around 50 times closer to the comet’s nucleus than anticipated in the case of 67P. This boundary was observed to be asymmetric, wider than the fully developed bow shocks observed at other comets, and moving in unexpected ways.
Rosetta detected the bow shock as the boundary changed position responding to the upstream magnetic field flipping from one side to the other. As a result, the spacecraft found itself alternatively outside of the shock (as shown in another view) and behind it (as shown in this view).
It is the first time a bow shock has been detected in the forming anywhere in the Solar System.