Rosetta's comet tour begins for real

Abstract

The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft was preparing to rendezvous with the comet it has been chasing for the past 10 years. Mapping and landing on comet will be a challenge unlike anything space explorers have ever faced. Rosetta will initially maneuver in a series of controlled triangles, starting at a distance of 100 km and moving closer in over the next few weeks. Eventually it will enter a proper orbit determined only by gravity, getting as close as 10 km.