Feature Astronomy

Rosetta readies for its close rendezvous with a comet

Once it drops its lander, the spacecraft will tag along as dusty, icy comet circles the sun

Illustration of lander on surface of comet 67P

TOUCHDOWN ON A COMET  On November 12, scientists will attempt to land a robot on a comet, as shown in this illustration. If successful, the team will have a front-row seat to the spectacular show of a comet approaching the sun.

ESA, ATG Medialab

By Ashley Yeager

- More than 2 years ago

View the lander interactive • View the video

close-up of comet 67P
Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko NAVCAM/Rosetta/ESA
Very soon, on November 12, a spacecraft called Rosetta will sidle up to a comet, steady itself and drop a 100-kilogram robotic lander toward the hunk of rock, dust and ice.