Dr. Lori Feaga
University of Maryland Rosetta, the joint European and US robotic mission with
19 instruments, has finally arrived at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, a
Jupiter Family comet that orbits the Sun every 6.5 years. After a decade of planning and another decade
traveling to reach its target, those who have designed the spacecraft and made
the mission a reality are able to boast of many cometary science
breakthroughs. Rosetta deployed a lander
in November for the first ever cometary landing in order to conduct experiments
and learn about the comet's surface environment. And, unlike Rosetta's predecessors, where
only a single quick cometary flyby was feasible, the Rosetta orbiter will
continue traveling with the comet at close distances as it nears the Sun and
will watch as the comet's activity increases to its peak near perihelion. Rosetta will observe the comet, day in and
day out, for over a year, noting the evolution of the comet, seasonal changes,
and diurnal variations. Highlights from
the mission, including incredible pictures and first results, will be
presented.
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