On Sept. 30, 2016, the European Space Agency purposefully crashed its Rosetta spacecraft into Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, ending a historic 12-year mission that first revolutionized comet science. Launched in March 2004, the 1.3 billion-euro ($1.46 billion) probe spent a decade chasing the rubber-duck-shaped space rock before entering orbit in August 2014 to study the icy remnant left over from the birth of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
The Journey to Comet 67P and the Philae Lander Milestone
The Rosetta mission achieved several firsts in planetary science. It became the first spacecraft to ever orbit a comet and the first to accompany its target as the icy object approached the inner solar system, observing how the body evolved as it warmed up. During its two years alongside Comet 67P, Rosetta captured high-resolution photos and deployed a tiny lander named Philae. The lander bounced several times upon touchdown on Nov. 12, 2014, eventually coming to rest at a strange angle where its solar arrays could not face the sun. Philae’s primary batteries ran out after a few hours, though mission teams considered the landing a success. Weeks before the orbiter’s eventual demise, Rosetta even rediscovered Philae’s long-lost resting place on the comet’s surface.
Why the European Space Agency Crashed Rosetta
Mission operators chose to terminate the mission by crashing the spacecraft because the comet’s orbit was carrying it back out toward Jupiter and the outer solar system. As Comet 67P traveled farther from the sun, Rosetta’s solar panels would no longer generate sufficient power to sustain operations. The 14-hour descent culminated in a slow-motion impact at a leisurely walking pace of about 2 mph (3.2 kph) on Sept. 30, 2016. Patrick Martin, the Rosetta mission manager at the European Space Agency, declared operations ended from the control center in Darmstadt, Germany, calling the final descent a full success and “pure science at its best.”
Common Questions About the Rosetta Mission
How long did it take Rosetta to reach Comet 67P?
The spacecraft took 10 years to reach its target after launching in March 2004, finally arriving at the comet in August 2014.
What was the speed of Rosetta’s impact?
Rosetta hit the surface of Comet 67P at a walking pace of approximately 2 mph (3.2 kph).
How much did the Rosetta mission cost?
The European Space Agency mission cost 1.3 billion euros, or roughly $1.46 billion.
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