RosettaPhilae

RosettaPhilae is the European Space Agency's joint mission consisting of the Rosetta orbiter and the Philae lander, designed to study comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Launched in 2004, it marked the first attempt to orbit and accompany a comet over an extended period. The mission aimed to characterize the comet's nucleus, coma, and activity, analyze its chemical and physical properties, and improve understanding of the early solar system and the role of comets in delivering water and organic material to Earth.

The Rosetta spacecraft carried a suite of remote-sensing and in-situ instruments to study the comet from first approach through perihelion and beyond. Philae, deployed from Rosetta in November 2014, carried experiments to analyze surface composition, subsurface properties, and organic chemistry. The lander encountered severe challenges during landing, including a bounce and arrival in a sunlit area with limited power, which restricted its time on the surface but allowed intermittent data transmission.

Timeline highlights include a launch on March 2, 2004, gravity assists from Earth and Mars, arrival at 67P in August 2014, and Philae's descent on November 12, 2014. Rosetta continued to accompany the comet for about two years, providing high-resolution imagery and measurements as the comet approached and passed perihelion. The mission concluded in September 2016 with Rosetta's controlled descent onto the comet’s surface, ending a long, versatile data collection period.

RosettaPhilae significantly advanced understanding of cometary composition, activity, and evolution, offering insights into the early solar system and the potential delivery of water and organic materials to Earth. The mission established a model for long-duration, multi-instrument exploration of small bodies in deep space.