Rosetta closing in on the comet

Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2014 | 06:30 - 06:55 GMT | 08:30 - 08:55 CEST

Replay: Fri, Jul 25, 2014 | 15:00 - 15:25 GMT | 17:00 - 17:25 CEST

Type: ESA TV Exchange

Format: 16:9

On 6 August, after a decade-long journey through space, ESA’s Rosetta will become the first spacecraft in history to rendez-vous with a comet.                                                                                                                           

Since its launch from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on 2 March 2004, Rosetta has travelled more than six billion kilometres, passing by Earth three times and Mars once, and flying past two asteroids.                          

For the most distant part of the journey, when it travelled out to the orbit of Jupiter, Rosetta was put into deep-space hibernation for 31 months, waking up on 20 January 2014 for the final leg of its epic journey to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Now, with less than 10 000 km to go, Rosetta is preparing to arrive at its destination. After rendezvous on 6 August, Rosetta will accompany the comet around the Sun and as it moves back out towards the orbit of Jupiter. The lander, Philae, will be delivered to the comet’s surface in November 2014.

This video recalls the long journey and the new knowledge already resulting from this mission and explains the challenges ahead. It includes interviews with some of Rosetta Principal Investigators : Kathrin Altwegg, ROSINA Instrument (English and German), James Burch, Ion and Electron Sensor Instrument (English) and Martin Pätzold,  Radio Science Investigation Instrument (English and German).

More information at: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta

Preview and download:
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2014/07/Rosetta_closing_in_on_the_comet

Script:
ROSETTA – CLOSING IN ON THE COMET FINAL TC OK.doc

Satellite Parameters: Eutelsat 9A at 9 degrees E, transponder 59, downlink frequency 11900.1 horizontally polarised, symbol rate 27,500 FEC 2/3.