Rosetta Spacecraft Enters Full Science Phase as It Orbits Massive Comet

Philae lander's mission may be complete, but Rosetta's is far from over. The spacecraft will continue its own exploration as it orbits Comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko during the year as the comet approaches our sun.

"With lander delivery complete, Rosetta will resume routine science observations and we will transition to the 'comet escort phase,'" said Andrea Accomazzo, the flight director, in a news release. "This science-gathering phase will take us into next year as we go with the comet towards the sun, passing perihelion, or closest approach, on 13 August, at 186 million kilometers from our star."

Since Nov. 16, Rosetta has performed a series of maneuvers, using its thrusters to begin optimizing its orbit around the comet for the 11 scientific instruments. Eventually, Rosetta will be stationed about 30 km above the comet in order to test which orbit will be best to fit the needs of the scientific sensors.

The desire is to place the spacecraft as close as feasible to the comet before the activity becomes too high to maintain closed orbits," said Laurence O'Rourke at the Rosetta Science Operations Center. "This 20 km orbit will be used by the science teams to map large parts of the nucleus at high resolution and to collect gas, dust and plasma at increasing activity."

Once solar heat activates the frozen gases on the comet, outflowing gas and dust particles will create an atmosphere around the comet nucleus, known as the coma. Rosetta should be in the perfect position to take samples and send back data to scientists about the comet.

"Science will now take front seat in this great mission. It's why we are there in the first place!" said Matt Taylor, Rosetta Project Scientist. "The science teams have been working intensively over the last number of years with the science operations center to prepare the dual planning for this phase."