So far, only short-period comets have been studied, i.e. comets that have an orbital period of less than 200 years and thus repeatedly return to the inner regions of our Solar System. However, each such passage of a comet around the Sun greatly affects its properties and appearance. That's why ESA has chosen the Comet Interceptor mission to explore a comet the world has never seen before. This type of comet, unaffected by the Sun, could ultimately provide a wealth of valuable insights into the origins of our Solar System, dating back 4.6 billion years.
But astronomers will only know about such a comet months in advance - by the time it is too late to build and launch a satellite. So the spacecraft will be "parked" at Lagrange Point 2, 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, waiting for a suitable comet. When it arrives, it will take images of the entire comet to create a 3D profile of it.
The satellite that will study the comet consists of three parts - the main spacecraft and two smaller ones that will carry additional scientific instruments. All three parts will then make various measurements of the comet's nucleus and its gas, dust and plasma environments to provide observations from different perspectives.
The OHB Czechspace team will work on the project for approximately 2 years. Specifically, it will contribute engineering activities to the design of the spacecraft, including the installation, assembly and testing of the dust shield, which is necessary to protect the satellite from dust from the comet.
The €150 million contract is being developed by ESA in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which is responsible for one of the two smaller probes mentioned above. The mission is part of ESA's 'Cosmic Vision' programme and is a 'Class F' fast-track mission, which is expected to take just eight years to implement. "The project's classification as 'Class F' in ESA's mission categorisation means that we have much less time than normal for engineering activities. Together with the installation of the comet dust shield, this is a significant technical challenge that the OHB Czechspace engineering team is happy to take on," said Daniel Rohel, head of the OHB Czechspace engineering team. The satellite will be carried on a rocket together with the ARIEL space telescope in 2029.
OHB Czechspace
OHB Czechspace is based in Brno and is a member of the OHB SE technology group. It focuses on the supply of satellites, satellite adapters and ground support equipment. The company has been awarded a number of contracts under ESA programmes, and in addition to the Hera planetary defence mission, it is working on the nuclear electric propulsion programme for the RocketRoll space mission, the Plato exoplanet research mission and the CO2M atmospheric carbon dioxide measurement mission. Last year, it also defended the SOVA mission, as a backup to the Department of Transportation's ambitious project.
For more information visit https://www.ohb-czech.cz/
