Whose spacecraft first entered orbit around a comet?
Quick Answer
The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft was the first to orbit a comet, arriving at Comet 67P in 2014. It studied the comet for more than two years.
The Full Story
Rosetta made history in August 2014 by becoming the first spacecraft to orbit a comet, 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. It followed the comet as it moved toward the Sun, capturing detailed images and measurements of gas, dust and surface features. The mission helped scientists learn how comets evolve and how they may have delivered water and organic compounds to early Earth. Rosetta ended its mission with a controlled descent onto the comet in 2016.
Key Facts
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