Rosetta probe on collision course with comet 67P/Churyov-Gersimenko

These are the last moments of the Rosetta probe. The European Space Agency (ESA) mission has entered a decisive phase. Probe, after 12-year mission, will hit comet 67P/Churyov-Gersimenko. Scientists admit that this could be one of the most interesting moments of the entire mission.

ESA scientists have confirmed that the Rosetta probe has entered a collision course with Comet 67P/Churyov-Gersimenko. The impact is expected to occur around 12:40 a.m. Polish time. During the collision, researchers want to gather additional information about the comet, although, as Matt Taylor admitted – one of the scientistsóin the Rosetta mission, they want to end the mission in an impressive wayób.

The decision to bump the probe against the comet’s surface is due to the fact that 67P/Churyumov-Gersimenko is now moving away from the Sun and the solar-powered probe would not get enough energy to continue operating.

SamobóThe fourth Rosetta mission is expected to provide scientists with data on the structure and other properties of comet 67P/Churyov-Gersimenko. Astronomers in this wayób want to know the detailsóThe probe will then approach Bennu, the largest comet in the worldów and gasóin whichóry occurs as the object heats up.

The Rosetta mission began in 2004. The spacecraft is part of ESA’s Horizon 2000 space programme, which began in 1984. Its goal was to conduct research thatóto help understand the mysteries of the Solar System.

The cost of the mission, including the construction of the probe, lander, research instruments, launch costs and operational costs was about 1.4 billion euros. In 12 years, the probe has traveled six billionóin a kilometerówhile collecting vast amounts of data about comets and other objects in space.