The Comet Interceptor Mission

Area of Science:

• Planetary Science
• Cometary Science
• Solar System Exploration

Background:

• Long-period comets and interstellar objects offer unique insights into the early Solar System.
• Previous cometary missions have not studied pristine objects or provided multi-point, spatially resolved data.
• The European Space Agency's (ESA) F-Class mission call enabled the development of a fast, flexible, low-cost mission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the surface composition, shape, morphology, and structure of a pristine comet or interstellar object.
• To analyze the composition of cometary gas and dust and its relationship to the nucleus.
• To understand the comet's interaction with the solar wind.

Main Methods:

• The Comet Interceptor mission, launched in 2029, will travel to a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point.
• The mission will intercept a suitable long-period comet or interstellar object.
• A main spacecraft and two sub-probes (B1 from JAXA and B2) will perform simultaneous, spatially resolved measurements at varying distances (1000 km, 850 km, and 400 km) from the nucleus.

Main Results:

• The mission will provide unprecedented, simultaneous, 3-dimensional data on a near-pristine comet or interstellar object.
• Detailed information on the composition and structure of the nucleus, coma, and their interaction with the solar wind will be obtained.
• This will offer a unique glimpse into the formation and evolution of the Solar System.

Conclusions:

• Comet Interceptor will be the first mission to study a pristine long-period comet or interstellar object in situ.
• The multi-point measurements will revolutionize our understanding of cometary science and Solar System origins.
• The mission's design allows for flexibility in targeting and maximizing scientific return.