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Last updated 2010 February 3

SPACE MISSIONS

This page lists space missions to asteroids and comets and also those where these objects were observed but not necessarily as the prime objective of the mission.

1.0       Announcements

 

ESA Cosmic Vision 2015 – 2025

 

On 18 October 2007 candidate missions were selected for further assessment and consideration for launch in 2017/2018. Included is:

 

Marco Polo - a near-Earth object sample return mission

 

A sample-return mission to a near-Earth object (NEO), Marco Polo would characterise a NEO at multiple scales and return a sample. If approved, the mission would study the origins and evolution of the Solar System, the role of minor bodies in the process, origins and evolution of Earth and of life itself. It would consist of a mother satellite which would carry a lander, sampling devices, reentry capsule as well as instruments. If approved, the mission would be implemented in collaboration with JAXA.

 

More details can be found on the ESA website at

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=41438

 

2.0       Asteroids and Comets

 

Name

Launch Date

Objectives/Targets

Organisation

Mission Phase

Don Quijote

 

An NEO deflection test mission

ESA

Study

 

Osiris

2015

Sample return mission to asteroid 101955,

(1999 RQ36)

NASA

Concept Study

NEOSSAT

2010

To discover Near Earth Asteroids and track high-altitude satellites

University of Calgary,

Canadian Space Agency

Development

GAIA

2011

Census of one thousand million stars in our Galaxy, should identify tens of thousands of asteroids

ESA

Development

WISE

14 December 2009

WISE will study: asteroids, the coolest and dimmest stars, and the most luminous galaxies.

NASA

Operational

Dawn

27 Sep 2007

Ceres and Vesta

NASA

Operational

Hayabusa

9 May 2003

Sample return mission to 1998 SF36 (Itokawa). Scheduled to return to Earth in Jun 2010.

ISAS

Operational

Rosetta

2 Mar 2004

Comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko which it will reach in 2014. Passed by (2867) Steins in 2008 and will fly by (21) Lutetia in 2010

ESA

Operational

New Horizons

19 Jan 2006

Pluto and Charon, Kuiper Belt

NASA

Operational

Messenger

3 Aug 2004

Primary target is the planet Mercury but a search for Vulcanoid asteroids will also be conducted

NASA

Operational

EPOXI

(Retargeting of Deep Impact Spacecraft)

-

Comet Hartley 2 which it is scheduled to reach on 4 Nov 2010

NASA

Operational

IUE

Jan 1978

Making ultraviolet observations, Halley’s Comet during its 1986 visit, Jupiter’s atmosphere after the impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy in 1994.

ESA, NASA, PPARC

Mission completed 1996

Giotto

2 Jul 1985

Comets Halley and Grigg–Skjellerup

ESA

Mission completed 1992

Hipparcos

8 Aug 1989

To measure the positions, distances, motions, brightness and colours of stars

ESA

Mission completed Aug 1993

NEAR

17 Feb 1996

Eros

NASA

Mission completed 28 Feb 2001

Deep Space 1

24 Oct 1998

Technology test vehicle, Comet Borrelly

NASA

Mission completed 18 Dec 2001

Stardust

7 Feb 1999

Collect dust samples from Comet Wild 2

NASA

Mission completed 15 Jan 2006

Deep Impact

12 Jan 2005

Comet Tempel 1

NASA

Mission completed August 2005

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