Rosetta Blog

Rosetta Blog http://webservices.esa.int/blog/blog/5 Coverage of the Rosetta mission as she makes a series of complex gravity assist manoeuvres around Earth (Mar 2005, Nov 2007, Nov 2009) and Mars (Feb 2007), plus the exciting encounters with Asteroids Steins (Sep 2008) and Lutetia (Jul 2010). News and updates from the Rosetta Dedicated Control Room at ESOC, ESA's European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany. administrator 2013-02-11T10:32:10Z Pretty pictures: Amazing asteroid Lutetia http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1385 Excellent news from Emily Lakdawalla via her Planetary Society blog:   <blockquote> A long-awaited data set is finally public (well, long-awaited by me, at least). The Rosetta team has now published their data from the July 10, 2010, flyby of asteroid (21) Lutetia. At the time, it was the largest asteroid yet visited by a spacecraft, so it <a href="http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00002780/" target="_blank" title="Asteroids and comets montage poster">dominated the asteroids and comets montage poster</a> I put together. This data set is absolutely stunning, and my friends in the amateur image processing community wasted no time in creating art out of it. First, I give you a movie of Rosetta's flyby, processed by Ian Regan. The flickering occurs because Rosetta was cycling through different-color filters as it flew past. I had to play this one a few times. Wow. </blockquote>     <hr /> <iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NQgXWK5Jxhs" width="560"></iframe>   <hr /> Access full post via <a href="http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00003448" target="_blank">The Planetary Society Blog</a>.       General Science Operations 2012-04-11T11:32:36Z danielscuka ScienceCasts: Mission to Land on a Comet http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1381 Is this cool, or what! Europe's Rosetta spacecraft is en route to intercept a comet-- and to make history. In 2014, Rosetta will enter orbit around 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and land a probe on it for a front row seat as the comet heads toward the sun. Many thanks to our NASA colleauges for a cool video!  <iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FoePrO4-fGQ?rel=0" width="640"></iframe> General Science Operations Hibernation 2012-02-03T20:32:06Z danielscuka REPLAY Webcast: 25 years of comet science from ESA/ESOC 15 June 16:30-17:30 CEST http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1348 A retrospective of ESA's historic Giotto mission with highlights of past comet science and featuring Rosetta and its ambitious goal to land on a comet in 2014.   <iframe frameborder="0" height="260" scrolling="no" src="http://cdn.livestream.com/embed/eurospaceagency?layout=4&clip=flv_24447480-f080-4069-b4ad-945baf3f58cf&color=0xe7e7e7&autoPlay=false&mute=false&iconColorOver=0x888888&iconColor=0x777777&allowchat=true" style="border: 0pt none; outline: 0pt none" width="408"></iframe> <div style="font-size: 11px; padding-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 408px"> Watch <a href="http://www.livestream.com/?utm_source=lsplayer&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=footerlinks" title="live">live streaming video</a> from <a href="http://www.livestream.com/eurospaceagency?utm_source=lsplayer&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=footerlinks" title="Watch">eurospaceagency</a> at livestream.com </div>   Presenters include the ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration, Alvaro Gimenez, the ESA Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations, Thomas Reiter, former ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration, David Southwood, as well as leading Solar System and planetary scientists, including Roger Bonnet, Executive Director of the International Space Science Institute, Uwe Keller, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Gerhard Schwehm, ESA's Rosetta Mission Manager, Rita Schulz, ESA's Rosetta Project Scientist, and Anny-Chantal Levasseur-Regourd, Giotto OPE Principal Investigator from UPMC/CNRS, Paris. General 2011-06-15T09:55:05Z danielscuka Cool Comet campaign: Top 5 and grand winner http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1346 The listing of our Top Five entries in the Cool Comet campaign! <a href="http://twitpic.com/55xh4q" target="_blank" title="See the original in Twitpic"></a> <div style="text-align: center"> <a href="http://twitpic.com/55xh4q" target="_blank" title="See the original in Twitpic"><img src="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/gallery/5/previews-med/312290810.gif" border="0" alt="#coolcomet 4th place @Axpere: Rare Opportunity to See Extraterrestrial & Truly Tremendous Article. Entrance to dreamworld http://twitpic.com/55xh4q" /></a> </div> <a href="http://twitpic.com/55xh4q" target="_blank" title="See the original in Twitpic"></a> Image credit: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Axpere" target="_blank">@Axpere</a> via Twitpic - click for full size Our sincere thanks to all who took part. Judging was very difficult! The complete listing of submisisons is available via <a href="http://twapperkeeper.com/hashtag/coolcomet" target="_blank">TwapperKeeper</a> or <a href="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/resource/5/20357" target="_blank" title="Click to download PDF file">here in the blog</a>. And the Top Five are...  GRAND PRIZE WINNER!  <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lilla71" target="_blank">@lilla71</a> <blockquote> <div style="text-align: center"> Il simbolo di una bellezza tanto stupefacente quanto fugace che vorresti imprigionare nello spazio e nel tempo </div> <div style="text-align: center"> </div> <div style="text-align: center"> Symbols of a beauty as amazing as fleeting, that you would like to capture in space and time </div> </blockquote> Top Places - 2nd thru 5th <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JPMajor" target="_blank">@JPMajor</a> <blockquote> Why are comets cool? They're cold as ice, dirty as heck and still think tails are fashionable. </blockquote> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alessandrocumbo" target="_blank">@alessandrocumbo</a> <blockquote> Rosetta dimostra che le distanze risiedono solo nelle menti ottuse degli uomini, il viaggio è cambiare angolo visivo. Rosetta shows that distances are only limited by the human mind. Journey enables changing your view angle. </blockquote> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Axpere" target="_blank">@Axpere</a> <blockquote> Rare Opportunity (to) See Extraterrestrial (&) Truly Tremendous Article. Entrance to dreamworld is #coolcomet <a href="http://twitpic.com/55xh4q" target="_blank">http://twitpic.com/55xh4q</a> </blockquote> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/CometsAhoy" target="_blank">@CometsAhoy</a> <blockquote> Wondrous marvels, lovely sights / Glowing softly in the night / Bearing ancient molecules / Comets really are so cool / #coolcomet </blockquote> General Fun stuff coolcomet 2011-06-14T15:29:31Z danielscuka Cool comet submissions: Honourable mentions & Made Us Chuckle http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1345 <a id="res_20355" href="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/gallery/5/4778.jpg"> </a> <div style="text-align: center"> <a id="res_20355" href="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/gallery/5/4778.jpg"> <img src="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/gallery/5/previews-med/4778.gif" border="0" alt="This view of Comet Halley's nucleus was obtained by the Halley Multicolour Camera (HMC) on board the Giotto spacecraft, as it passed within 600 km of the comet nucleus on 13 March 1986. Credit: ESA/MPI" /> </a> </div> <a id="res_20355" href="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/gallery/5/4778.jpg"> This view of Comet Halley's nucleus was obtained by the Halley Multicolour Camera (HMC) on board the Giotto spacecraft, as it passed within 600 km of the comet nucleus on 13 March 1986. Credit: ESA/MPI   </a>{{Final winners and Top 5 to be posted shortly}}    A listing of all #coolcomet Twitter campaign entries ranked by the judges in the 'Honourable mention' and 'Made us chuckle' categories (note 'very rough' EN translation for any entries not in English). Access details on the campaign via: <a href="http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM2ACNSNNG_0.html" target="_blank">Take Part in ESA's Cool Comet Campaign</a>  Bravo and well done to all those listed below!!! <ul> <li>@kristin_365</li> <li>@Jrmluque</li> <li>@M__Lopez</li> <li>@BuddyWolly</li> <li>@magisstra</li> <li>@Johnny_Proxy</li> <li>@ELDNAstronomy</li> <li>@AngusMcLulz</li> <li>@diolor</li> <li>@EPenguin</li> <li>@cifvts</li> <li>@LiiveToWiin</li> </ul> Click on Full story to read Tweets...  (Click on Twitter name to access respective Twitter accounts...)   <hr /> Honourable mention <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kristin_365" target="_blank">@kristin_365</a> <blockquote> porque son los viajeros del Sistema Solar, han estado en sitios que nosotros jamás seremos capaces de ver, ni imaginar because they are the travelers of the Solar System, they have been in places we will never be able to see, or imagine </blockquote>   <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Jrmluque" target="_blank">@Jrmluque</a> <blockquote> We have more questions than answers about comets. #coolcomet </blockquote>   <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/M__Lopez" target="_blank">@M__Lopez</a> <blockquote> me gusta pensar que es material que sublima al llegar cerca del sol, para dejarse ver… SUBLIME! I like to think they are made of material that sublimes when approaches the Sun, to make itself visible… SUBLIME! </blockquote>   <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/BuddyWolly" target="_blank">@BuddyWolly</a> <blockquote> From doomsday messengers to possible bringers of life: Comets - Brought to you by scientific advancement. #coolcomet </blockquote>   <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/magisstra" target="_blank">@magisstra</a> <blockquote> Comets #coolcomet are one of the most spectacular sky objects and their stories are special. Don’t believe it? <a href="http://t.co/3czmstG" target="_blank">http://t.co/3czmstG </a> </blockquote>   <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Johnny_Proxy" target="_blank">@Johnny_Proxy</a> <blockquote> An asteroid with a tail has a magnificient tale to tell. Long or short... period. Listen to the COMET! #coolcomet #ESA  </blockquote>       <hr /> Made us chuckle <hr />   <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Johnny_Proxy" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.twitter.com/ELDNAstronomy" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.twitter.com/ELDNAstronomy" target="_blank">@ELDNAstronomy</a> <blockquote> I beg ur pardon, i never promised u a ROSETTA garden, along with the sunshine, theres got to be a little space sleep sometimes #coolcomet </blockquote> <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AngusMcLulz" target="_blank">@AngusMcLulz</a> <blockquote> hey <a href="http://www.twitter.com/esa_de" target="_blank">@ESA_de</a> kommt ihr den #coolcomet gewinner mit dem <a href="http://blogs.esa.int/atv">ATV</a> abholen?!? =D hey <a href="http://www.twitter.com/esa_de" target="_blank">@ESA_de</a> will you fetch the #coolcomet winner with the <a href="http://blogs.esa.int/atv">ATV</a>?!? =D </blockquote> <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/diolor" target="_blank">@diolor</a> <blockquote> #coolcomet Ένα&sigmaf; κομήτη&sigmaf; που πέφτει είναι όμορφο&sigmaf; όπω&sigmaf; ένα γρήγορο αμάξι.Όμω&sigmaf; το δεύτερο μόνο θα θελα να δω παρκαρισμένο έξω από το σπίτι μου #coolcomet A comet passing by is as beautiful as a fast car. But I would like to see only the latter parked outside my house. </blockquote> <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/EPenguin" target="_blank">@EPenguin</a> <blockquote> #coolcomet Why are comets cool? Because they Oort to be! Tom & Dan from Mars Express </blockquote> <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/cifvts" target="_blank">@cifvts</a> <blockquote> #coolcomet "I'm a comet and nobody can stop me! Gotta go, see you in a bit". I really hope to see you again :) </blockquote> <hr /> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/LiiveToWiin" target="_blank">@LiiveToWiin</a> <blockquote> #coolcomet Kometen sind die größten Kunstwerke, die je entstanden sind! Da Vinci bekäme bei ihrem Anblick sicherlich Minderwer.komplexe!! #coolcomet Comets are the biggest works of art ever! Da Vinci would certainly get inferiority complexes when looking at them!! </blockquote>   <hr width="100%" size="2" /> The complete listing of submitted tweets is available here: <a href="http://twapperkeeper.com/hashtag/coolcomet" target="_blank">http://twapperkeeper.com/hashtag/coolcomet</a>   Thank you to all who took part! General Operations Fun stuff Hibernation coolcomet 2011-06-11T21:40:58Z danielscuka Rosetta asleep until 2014 http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1344 Rosetta entered hibernation at 16:13 CEST today, the moment that ESA & NASA ground stations in Australia lost the probe's radio signal, as planned. Full article in the main ESA website here: <a href="http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM38RJ4LOG_0.html" target="_blank">http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM38RJ4LOG_0.html</a>Happiness after final command sent!In the image below, Rosetta Operations Manager Andrea Accomazzo gestures happily in the Rosetta control room at ESOC today, just moments after the final command was sent to Rosetta to trigger a 31-month hibernation until January 2014. <img src="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/gallery/5/IMAG0535_492.jpg" alt="Operations manager Andrea Accomazzo gestures happily in the Rosetta control room at ESOC today, just moments after the final command was sent to Rosetta to trigger a 31-month hibernation until January 2014. Credit: ESA" />    General 2011-06-08T16:54:58Z danielscuka Command to be sent shortly http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1343 The Rosetta flight control team here at ESOC now plan to issue the hibernation command at 14:47 CEST; confirmation of successful entry would then come approximately 75 minutes later.Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/esaoperations" target="_blank">@esaoperations</a> on Twitter for all updates.  <div style="text-align: center"><iframe align="middle" frameborder="0" height="500px" marginheight="2px" marginwidth="2px" scrolling="NO" src="http://download.esa.int/esoc/esaops.html" width="100%"></iframe></div> General Operations Hibernation 2011-06-08T14:23:59Z danielscuka Confirmed: Rosetta now slowly spinning http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1342 The automated start of Rosetta's spin-up manoeuvre took place as scheduled this morning at 10:00 CEST. In this image, ESA's Paolo Ferri and Gerhard Schwehm stand at right while Roberto Porta and Sylvain Lodiot watch the plot coming in from NASA's DSN station at Canberra, Australia. Team are all rather pleased with progress so far! -- Daniel <div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_events/5811357196/" title="Confirming start of Rosetta spin-up by ESA_events, on Flickr"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_events/5811357196/" title="Confirming start of Rosetta spin-up by ESA_events, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/5811357196_ebf85bbfbf.jpg" alt="Confirming start of Rosetta spin-up" width="500" height="332" /></a></div> General Operations Hibernation 2011-06-08T10:33:03Z danielscuka Rosetta's lullaby song heard on Earth http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1340 A nice little update this morning! Our friend and past <a href="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/7/1058" target="_blank">ESA blog contributor Bertrand Pinel</a>, from France, sent in this screenshot showing the track of the Rosetta radio signal carrier shortly after the GO/NO-GO decision last night and start of the spacecraft's automated hibernation entry sequence (23:47CEST). Bertrand points out that the start of Rosetta's spin up and the switch off today won't be 'visible' to hsi radio equipment because the probe won't be over Europe when it happens (starting in about 30 minutes). Bertrand is a keen amateur radio astronomer and always amazes us with what he can achieve with home-made equipment! He's contributed to the Mars Express blog in the past (<a href="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/7/1058" target="_blank">see pictures of Bertrand and some of his equipment here</a>). Merci, Bertrand...and thanks to ESA's Thomas Ormston on the Mars Express team for passing on the details. -- Daniel  <a id="res_20353" href="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/gallery/5/capt1106072151.jpg"> <div style="text-align: center"> <img src="http://webservices.esa.int/blog/gallery/5/previews-med/capt1106072151.gif" border="0" /> </div> </a> General Operations Fun stuff Hibernation 2011-06-08T09:40:09Z danielscuka Monitoring progress: Rosetta team in control room http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/1339 Quick update from the Rosetta dedicated Control Room this AM: Contact via NASA's 70m deep space station at Canberra has been established - you can see signals arriving from Rosetta on screen in the third photo below. Later today, NASA Goldstone and ESA New Norcia will also come on line, so there is plenty of back up available. Spacecraft Operations Manager Andrea Accomazzo says that the execution of the on-board sequence to prepare the craft for hibernation is on track! Next big milestone comes just after 10:00 CEST today - start of the spin-up manoeuvre. -- Daniel   <div align="center">   <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_events/5811194988/" title="Rosetta hibernation by ESA_events, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/5811194988_974620dc0b.jpg" alt="Rosetta hibernation" width="500" height="300" /></a> Spacecraft Operations Manager Andrea Accomazzo (standing) with Rosetta engineers Roberto Porta (L) and Sylvain Lodiot (at console) at ESOC, Darmstadt, monitor signals from Rosetta via NASA's Canberra deep space station. </div> <hr /> <div align="center"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_events/5810630235/" title="Rosetta hibernation by ESA_events, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/5810630235_5d191871ac.jpg" alt="Rosetta hibernation" width="500" height="300" /></a> Clock counts down time to next major on-board event: start of spin-up manoeuvre, due at about 10:00 CEST. </div> <hr /> <div align="center"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_events/5810689929/" title="Rosetta hibernation by ESA_events, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/5810689929_1532797f7d.jpg" alt="Rosetta hibernation" width="500" height="300" /></a> Watching signals from Rosetta as the spacecraft conducts an automated switch-over into final pre-hibernation mode. </div> General Operations Hibernation 2011-06-08T09:07:49Z danielscuka