Rosetta comet has double nucleus
Posted: Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 8:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)
The comet that is the target of a European mission appears to have a nucleus comprised of two bodies, not one, which could complicate plans to land a spacecraft on the comet. Images released this week from ESA's Rosetta spacecraft show that the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko appears to be a contact binary: two distinct bodies touching each other, vaguely resembling a rubber duck. How the nucleus got that shape isn't clear yet to planetary scientists. The comet is the destination of Rosetta, launched by ESA in 2004 on a convoluted trajectory that required three Earth gravity assists and one Mars gravity assist to reach the comet. Rosetta will rendezvous with the comet next month, and is planned to deploy a small lander, Philae, to the surface of the nucleus in November. The nucleus's unusual shape could make that landing more difficult.
The comet that is the target of a European mission appears to have a nucleus comprised of two bodies, not one, which could complicate plans to land a spacecraft on the comet. Images released this week from ESA's Rosetta spacecraft show that the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko appears to be a contact binary: two distinct bodies touching each other, vaguely resembling a rubber duck. How the nucleus got that shape isn't clear yet to planetary scientists. The comet is the destination of Rosetta, launched by ESA in 2004 on a convoluted trajectory that required three Earth gravity assists and one Mars gravity assist to reach the comet. Rosetta will rendezvous with the comet next month, and is planned to deploy a small lander, Philae, to the surface of the nucleus in November. The nucleus's unusual shape could make that landing more difficult.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Friday, July 26
Vandenberg Space Force Base Initiates New Rocket Launch Notification System
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 7:25 am ET (1125 GMT) Space Force missile warning competition robust despite RTX exit
Defense News — 7:25 am ET (1125 GMT) U.S. Space Force Eyes On-Orbit Weather Monitoring Systems
Aviation Week — 7:24 am ET (1124 GMT) EU’s rival to Elon Musk’s Starlink struggles to take off
POLITICO — 7:22 am ET (1122 GMT) Vandenberg base starts public notification system on rocket launches
Ventura County (CA) Star — 7:21 am ET (1121 GMT) |
