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Rosetta (spacecraft) facts for kids

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Rosetta
Rosetta spacecraft
Artist's illustration of Rosetta
Mission type Comet orbiter/lander
Operator ESA
Mission duration Final: 12 years, 6 months, 28 days
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer Astrium
Launch mass Orbiter: 2,900 kg (6,400 lb)
Lander: 100 kg (220 lb)
Dry mass Orbiter: 1,230 kg (2,710 lb)
Payload mass Orbiter: 165 kg (364 lb)
Lander: 27 kg (60 lb)
Dimensions 2.8 × 2.1 × 2 m (9.2 × 6.9 × 6.6 ft)
Power 850 watts at 3.4 AU
Start of mission
Launch date 2 March 2004, 07:17:51 (2004-03-02UTC07:17:51) UTC
Rocket Ariane 5G+ V-158
Launch site Kourou ELA-3
Contractor Arianespace
End of mission
Disposal Deorbited
Last contact 30 September 2016, 10:39:28 (2016-09-30UTC10:39:29) UTC SCET
Landing site Sais, Ma'at region
2 years, 55 days of operations at the comet
Flyby of Mars
Closest approach 25 February 2007
Distance 250 km (160 mi)
Flyby of 2867 Šteins
Closest approach 5 September 2008
Distance 800 km (500 mi)
Flyby of 21 Lutetia
Closest approach 10 July 2010
Distance 3,162 km (1,965 mi)
67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko orbiter
Orbital insertion 6 August 2014, 09:06 UTC
Orbit parameters
Periapsis 29 km (18 mi)
Horizon 2000
← INTEGRAL

Rosetta was an ESA space probe. It went on a mission to study the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. The Rosetta mission had two parts: the Rosetta space probe and the Philae lander. The spacecraft was launched on 2 March 2004 by an Ariane 5 rocket. On 12 November 2014 Philae landed but soon lost electrical power and radio contact. Rosetta continued to examine the comet from orbit until 30 September 2016 when it landed.


Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Rosetta (sonda espacial) para niños

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