The Rosetta satellite orbiting comet 67P is a "scientific Disneyland"
Today, at long last, the Rosetta satellite has entered the orbit of comet 67P, which is described as a "crazy bonkers super-star" by Professor Mark McCaughrean from the European Space Agency....
Today, at long last, the Rosetta satellite has entered the orbit of comet 67P, which is described as a "crazy bonkers super-star" by Professor Mark McCaughrean from the European Space Agency.
Rosetta has been travelling for 10 years, 5 months and 4 days and has finally manoeuvered close enough to the comet to begin mapping its surface.
Comet 67P - Credit: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
"We're now at walking pace, we're effectively taking a saunter around this thing," Professor McCaughrean describes to As It Happens guest host Laura Lynch.
Comet 67P - Credit: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
He is hoping the satellite will help to figure out the role comets played in carrying material during the origin of our solar system. "It's just a wonderful mission about origins - who are we, where did we come from."
Mark McCaughrean at the European Space Agency (ESA) Credit: Reuters
Professor McCaughrean describes what it felt like when Rosetta made it into orbit. "We've arrived. We've been in the car for ten years, people have been bored in the back, [saying] 'are we there yet?' and now, we've only just looked out of the window and look what's outside: Scientific Disneyland. It's just a wonderful object."