Rosetta Mission and Comet Exploration

The Rosetta mission by the European Space Agency marked a milestone in space exploration by landing a spacecraft on a comet for the first time. The mission targeted Comet 67P/C-G, a duck-shaped celestial body, to study its composition and understand the origins of the solar system. Rosetta traveled over 3.5 billion miles, using gravity assists from Earth and Mars, and went into hibernation for part of the journey. The lander had a limited time to conduct experiments due to battery constraints. The mission aims to provide insights into the role of comets in delivering water and organic molecules to Earth.

What makes the Rosetta mission a significant milestone in space exploration?

• It was the first mission to orbit a comet.

• It was the first mission to fly by a comet.

• It was the first mission to land on a comet.

• It was the first mission to crash into a comet.

What is a unique feature of comets compared to asteroids?

• Comets have circular orbits.

• Comets are made entirely of rock.

• Comets are always closer to the sun than asteroids.

• Comets have elliptical orbits and can develop bright tails.

How long does it take for Comet 67P/C-G to orbit the sun?

• Every 3 years

• Every 6.5 years

• Every 12 years

• Every 20 years

What was a major challenge faced by the Rosetta spacecraft during its journey?

• Finding a suitable landing site on Mars

• Avoiding collisions with other spacecraft

• Maintaining communication with Earth

• Traveling too far to be powered by the sun

What unexpected shape did the engineers find Comet 67P/C-G to have?

• Potato-shaped

• Duck-shaped

• Spherical

• Cube-shaped

What was the main challenge for the lander once it reached the comet's surface?

• Communicating with Rosetta

• Staying on the surface due to low gravity

• Avoiding the comet's tail

• Finding a flat landing spot

How long did the lander have to conduct its scientific experiments on the comet?

• 72 hours

• 64 hours

• 48 hours

• 24 hours

What will Rosetta continue to do after the lander's battery depletes?

• Return to Earth

• Orbit the comet and send back data

• Crash into the comet

• Land on another comet

Why is studying comets important for understanding the solar system?

• They are the closest objects to Earth.

• They are the largest objects in the solar system.

• They are the oldest objects we can study.

• They are the newest celestial bodies.

What potential insights could the Rosetta mission provide?

• The possibility of life on Mars

• The composition of asteroids

• The future of space travel

• The beginnings of our solar system