Rosseta, looking for kites from Europe

1999/07/18 Kortabarria Olabarria, Beñardo - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astronomia

The European Space Agency has officially presented the Rosetta program, which aims to move the probe of the same name to the surface of the comet of Wirtán. According to experts, comets are one of the oldest objects of the Solar System and their inquiry can suppose to know how the Solar System itself was in its beginnings, 4.6 billion years ago.

In 1986 the Giotto probe was successfully sent to visit the Halle comet, and now you want to do the same with the Rosetta probe and the Witarn comet. Rosetta, which will study the surface of the comet and its physical characteristics, has a width of 32 meters, although 90% of the surface is occupied by solar panels.

If everything happens as scheduled, the Rosetta probe will be sent to space on January 5, 2003, accompanied by the Ariane-5 rocket. Before arriving at Wirtan Comet, you will visit two asteroids -4979 Otawa and 140 Siwa-. Rosetta will begin to approach the comet of Wirtanen in 2011 and scientists believe that on 28 May 2012 will enter orbit, a month later a vehicle of 100 kilos will try to lower to the surface of the comet. By then, Rosetta will have traveled 5,300 million kilometers. After several experiments on the comet, the adventure will end in July 2013.