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Old 08-05-2014, 02:06 PM
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Default Fantastic Space Voyage Rosetta is at the Comet

All you space junkies pay attention. The Rosetta spacecraft which was launched in 2004, 10 years ago will finally reach its target overnight tonight. This amazing craft has circled the sun many times, cutting inside and being gravitationally flung outside our orbit, travelling now 6.4 billion km and now only 100 miles from rendezvous with a comet. Here is a link to see the flight path of Rosetta

Where is Rosetta?

and here is a photo taken yesterday as it nears its objective

Rosetta: 234 kilometers and closing!

The craft will close orbit the comet and travel with it around the sun. It will also in November attempt to place a lander on the comet and drill into the rock to analyze and learn. It will be at its target for two years

Rosetta overview / Space Science / Our Activities / ESA

The insertion in comet orbit will be broadcast on the ESA website beginning at 4 AM EDT