ESA adopts mission to intercept a comet in deep space; will launch in 2029

The European Space Agency (ESA) has adopted the "Comet Interceptor" mission to visit a pristine comet or interstellar object that has just started its journey into the inner Solar System. This means the study phase is complete and work will soon begin to build the mission.

Led by ESA, with support from the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA), the mission aims to characterise the surface composition, shape and structure of a pristine comet for the first time ever, and investigate the composition of its gas and dust coma.

"The adoption of Comet Interceptor builds upon the breakthroughs of our visionary Giotto and Rosetta missions, accelerating us towards next-level comet science. The adoption of Comet Interceptor builds upon the breakthroughs of our visionary Giotto and Rosetta missions, accelerating us towards next-level comet science," said Gunther Hasinger ESA’s Director of Science.

ESA’s @cometintercept mission to visit a #comet has just been ‘adopted’ meaning the study phase is complete and, following selection of the spacecraft prime contractor, work will soon begin to build the mission 👉https://t.co/9NBQfzjyd2 #ExploreFarther pic.twitter.com/pVg4sdkkD7

— ESA Science (@esascience) June 8, 2022

Comet Interceptor will comprise of three flight elements - the main spacecraft and two smaller probes. While ESA is responsible for the main spacecraft and one of the probes, the other probe will be developed by JAXA. Equipped with different high-tech instruments, the three spacecraft will perform simultaneous observations from multiple points around the comet.

The mission is expected to launch together with ESA's exoplanet-studying Ariel mission in 2029. Both missions will be delivered to Lagrangian point (L2) - a location 1.5 million km ‘behind’ Earth as viewed from the Sun, and from there Comet Interceptor will journey onwards to the chosen target using its own propulsion system.

Comet Interceptor was selected as ESA's new fast-class mission in June 2019 and it joins a fleet of worldwide missions related to planetary defence.