The panoramic cameras for the Champollion and Roland cometary surface science packages

Abstract

We describe the scientific objectives, the design concept and the implementation of the panoramic cameras which are parts of the In-situ Imaging System (ISIS) and of the Roland Imaging System (ROLIS) for respectively the Champollion and Roland Surface Science Packages of the ESA Rosetta mission. Both instruments will characterize the cometary surface near the landing site, from the anchoring legs at spatial scales not achievable by the orbiter cameras, to the local horizon. ROLIS-P will further monitor the cometary activity and the resulting changes in the local topography. Both instruments are composed of several identical miniaturized cameras incorporating a 1024 × 1024 pixels, frame transfer CCD and a wide-angle optics having a field-of-view of 70°. ISIS-P includes six such cameras to record the full panorama without any mechanical rotation plus three additional ones to offer stereoscopic capability in three of the six fields-of-view. ROLIS-P takes advantage of the rotating capability of the Roland probe and is therefore limited to a single pair of (stereo) cameras. The camera heads with associated electronics will be integrated in a single module using the technology of three-dimensional packaging of electronic components resulting in highly compact, extremely lightweight units. Both instruments will provide unique information on the cometary surface at a spatial scale of 2 mm.