Filters for Applications in Space Rosetta Mission: Europe’s Comet Chaser

Date Announced: 21 Jan 2015

In preparation of Rosetta’s comet-chasing mission, LASER COMPONENTS supplied a network of telescopes with “comet filters”.  These are astronomical narrow band optical filters with centre wavelengths between 308nm and 684nm with bandwidths between 4nm and 12nm.  These telescopes help create a global network to be set up that delivers data for comet target identification and has proved to be of great value, in particular during an extremely critical phase of the project.

Originally the “Wirtanen” comet was the intended rendezvous for Rosetta, but delays in providing a launch vehicle led scientists to select another target and chose the “67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko” comet.  As many know the robotic space probe Rosetta arrived at the comet in August after a ten year flight in space, passing by Mars in 2007 then two other asteroids in 2008 and 2010 respectively, to gain appropriate speed and trajectory to reach 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

This comet is “fresh” and produces large amounts of dust and gas.  For the first time in the history of space research a probe landed on a comet.  A small lander called Philae left Rosetta to land on the comet to take measurements on site.  Unfortunately it is thought that harpoons failed to operate that were intended to anchor the probe and instead it bounced on impact then landed in an unfavourable location and orientation to charge its batteries via its solar panels.  After performing some experiments the batteries drained.

Despite this setback the Rosetta comet chaser was the most ambitious space mission to be started in Europe, and LASER COMPONENTS is proud to have contributed to this mission.

For more information visit our website at: lasercomponents.co.uk

• Photonex Southampton Roadshow, March 09, 2015, Catering, Conference & Hospitality Building, University of Southampton, Booth S14
• Photonex Scotland Roadshow, June 03, 2015, The Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC), University of Strathclyde, Booth S1
• Photonex 2015, October 14 - 15, 2015, Ricoh Arena, Coventry, Booth D15

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The Company formed in 1986 and is located at six locations in Germany, France, UK, Canada and USA.  Extensive in-house production accounts for approximately half its turnover.  Currently, the family-run business employs more than 120 people worldwide.

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Web Site: www.lasercomponents.co.uk