ROSETTA
The mysteries of comets
The ESA mission ROSETTA (launched from Kourou, French Guyana, on March 2nd, 2004 with an Ariane-5 G+) was designed and carried out to answer to many unanswered questions on comets and the origin of the Solar System.
Launched in 2004, the mission has the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as its target, a comet with an orbital period of seven-years and a nucleus radius of some kilometres. After a long journey of about ten years through the Solar System, the probe will reach the comet in 2014.
In particular for the first time in the history of space exploration, a lander named Philae, will land on the nucleus to carry out in situ scientific experiments.
Academic institutes and Italian industries, coordinated by ASI, played a fundamental role in the development of the whole mission providing instruments and working on the satellite during all phases of the mission.
Contribution to the Orbiter
Italy provided three payloads to the orbiter. Two of them will produce for the first time accurate maps of a cometary nucleus and of its superficial composition, the third one will measure the fluxes and the physical characteristics of the dust particles emitted by the nucleus.
VIRTIS - Visible InfraRed Thermal Imaging Spectrometer;
GIADA - Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator;
WAC - Wilde Angle Camera for the imaging system OSIRIS.
Contribution to the Lander Philae
The Italian contribution to the lander consists in:
- SD2 (Sampler Drill & Distribution): the drilling system, and distribute to the instruments the samples from the comet surface and subsurface;
- Solar Arrays.
ASI also has a main role in the Steering Committee as well as in the Project Management Board of the lander.
