Rosetta comet chaser to swing by Earth for last time on November 13
21 Oct 2009, 1401 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

* Education Directory * Exam Results * Who is Who * Information *Tutorials * Articles * Quote * Classified

Paris, October 21 Reports indicate that the European Sapce Agency's (ESA's) Rosetta comet chaser will swing by Earth on November 13 to pick up orbital energy and begin the final leg of its 10-year journey to the outer Solar System.

Several observations of the Earth-Moon system are planned before the spacecraft heads out to study comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This will be the third Earth swingby, the last of Rosetta's four planetary gravity assists.

The swingby will provide exactly the boost Rosetta needs to continue into the outer Solar System. The craft is scheduled for a close encounter with asteroid 21 Lutetia in July next year. Rosetta is expected to arrive at its final destination in May 2014. There, it will release the Philae lander for in-situ studies on the surface.

The spacecraft will then escort the comet on its journey toward the Sun, studying it closely for up to two years.

As it closes in on Earth next month, Rosetta will have travelled almost 4500 million km since launch.

It will speed past Earth at 13.3 km/s, passing above the Indian Ocean at 109 degrees east, 8 degrees south, just south of the Indonesian island of Java.

The gravity-assist will increase the spacecraft's speed by 3.6 km/s with respect to the Sun. hile the swingby is critical for achieving the velocity required to reach its ultimate destination, the close encounter will also be used to study the Earth-Moon system from Rosetta's unique perspective.

Several instruments that usually hibernate during the long trek will be turned on in the week before the swingby.

Closest approach is scheduled for 08:45 CET on November 13, but mission operators will perform a number of critical actions before and after the swingby to ensure that Rosetta is on the right trajectory. (ANI)

Related Latest

India, US at last getting to more deal making than deal breaking Assam bomb blast death toll rises to seven Obama's job approval rating dips below 50% for first time in his presidency Online Indian shoppers spent $2,000 on average last year 'Scrudle': the newest utensil that scrapes every last morsel from saucepans Brad Pitt 'turns down $5m public appearance offer to spend time with kids' MJ molestation accuser's dad 'became a recluse in his last years' Somalian pirates attack US ship for second time in seven months 13 killed in Peshawar blast Hong Kong shivers in coldest November in over 120 years

Related Latest

Common pain relief drugs promote cancer growth US Congress adopts bipartisan resolution to honour Manmohan Singh No talks with Pakistan planned in Trinidad Security concerns regarding Pakistan to be expressed at US-India meet India, US at last getting to more deal making than deal breaking As far as Kashmir issue is concerned, India will not redraw borders: Singh Pakistan has not done enough on the Mumbai terror attacks: Manmohan Singh No apprehension about US viewing India differently: Manmohan Singh Winters leave Ladakh out of bound, make stocking of food material a must Eco-friendly vehicles rally held in Delhi

• Common pain relief drugs promote cancer growth
• No talks with Pakistan planned in Trinidad
• Security concerns regarding Pakistan to be expressed at US-India meet
• India, US at last getting to more deal making than deal breaking
• US Congress adopts bipartisan resolution to honour Manmohan Singh

• भारतीय क्रिकेट की मजबूत दीवार
• कंगारूओं के आगे ढेर, चीतों से कैसे मुकाबला करेंगें शेर
• Reducing greenhouse gases may not be enough to slow global warming
• बीकानेर महापौर चुनावः एक विश्लेषण
• Deepawali: The Festival Of Lights