Abstract
Although the operational side of the Rosetta mission was completed on 30 September 2016 with the historic touchdown on the surface of Comet 67P, the scientific analysis of the data from the orbiter and the Philae lander will continue for many years to come.
“Thanks to a huge international, decades-long endeavor, we have achieved our mission to take a world-class science laboratory to a comet to study its evolution over time, something that no other comet-chasing mission has attempted. The mission has spanned entire careers, and the data returned will keep generations of scientists busy for decades to come.” Alvaro Giménez, ESA Director of Science.
“As well as being a scientific and technical triumph, the amazing journey of Rosetta and its lander Philae also captured the world’s imagination, engaging new audiences far beyond the science community. It has been exciting to have everyone along for the ride.” Mark McCaughrean, ESA’s senior science adviser.
“Just as the Rosetta Stone after which this mission was named was pivotal in understanding ancient language and history, the vast treasure trove of Rosetta spacecraft data is changing our view on how comets and the Solar System formed. Inevitably, we now have new mysteries to solve. The comet hasn’t given up all of its secrets yet, and there are sure to be many surprises hidden in this incredible archive. So don’t go anywhere yet – we’re only just beginning.” Matt Taylor, ESA’s Rosetta project scientist.
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Notes
- 1.
Sublimation is the change in the physical state of a substance from an ice to a gas, omitting the liquid phase.
- 2.
This situation is comparable to the weeks of complete winter darkness experienced in Earth’s polar regions.
- 3.
This description was rather tongue in cheek, since these molecules were only present in small amounts.
- 4.
Plasma is a gas comprising charged particles (positive ions and free electrons).
- 5.
Earth’s field ranges between approximately 25,000 and 65,000 nanotesla.
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Bond, P. (2020). A Scientific Bonanza. In: Rosetta: The Remarkable Story of Europe's Comet Explorer. Springer Praxis Books(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60720-3_10
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