Rosetta wide awake as check-up continues

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Rosetta wide awake as check-up continues

29 January 2014 Following last week’s wake-up of the Rosetta comet-chaser, ESA’s flight controllers have conducted the first in a series of health checks aimed at assessing how well it came through 31 months of hibernation.

After its long deep-space hibernation, Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft woke up on 20 January to begin the final leg of its 10-year journey to comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

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Edited August 1, 2014 by Waspie_Dwarf
modified tags.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Rosetta Update

After successfully waking up on January 20th, the Rosetta spacecraft is now preparing for its rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This video is a status update for this adventurous and challenging comet-chasing mission.

Between now and May, Rosetta will start slowing down. As the first camera images will help improve calculations of the comet’s position, orbit, size, shape and rotation, the team will initially try and avoid any comet dust. Rosetta will then be another step close to becoming the first spacecraft to fly alongside and orbit a comet, as well as the first mission to make a controlled landing onto a comet’s surface.

The video includes interviews in English with: Andrea Accomazzo, Spacecraft Operations Manager, ESA ; Paolo Ferri, Head of Mission Operations, ESA; Armelle Hubault, Spacecraft Operations Engineer, ESA ; Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General, ESA ; Matt Taylor, Project Scientist, ESA.

Credit: ESA

Source: ESA - Space in Videos

[Merc14]

10 years and just now starting its mission. Amazing voyage.