#CometInterceptor is well on track for its planned 2029 launch.
The spacecraft is currently in the building and testing stage of development.
4/ #CM25 🔭
The spacecraft is currently in the building and testing stage of development.
4/ #CM25 🔭
November 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
#CometInterceptor is well on track for its planned 2029 launch.
The spacecraft is currently in the building and testing stage of development.
4/ #CM25 🔭
The spacecraft is currently in the building and testing stage of development.
4/ #CM25 🔭
#CometInterceptor will be the first mission to visit a comet coming directly from the outer reaches of the Sun's realm, carrying material untouched since the dawn of the Solar System.
Part of #CosmicVision, Comet Interceptor is an ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA.
1/ #CM25 🔭
Part of #CosmicVision, Comet Interceptor is an ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA.
1/ #CM25 🔭
November 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
#CometInterceptor will be the first mission to visit a comet coming directly from the outer reaches of the Sun's realm, carrying material untouched since the dawn of the Solar System.
Part of #CosmicVision, Comet Interceptor is an ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA.
1/ #CM25 🔭
Part of #CosmicVision, Comet Interceptor is an ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA.
1/ #CM25 🔭
#CometInterceptor will answer questions such as:
☄️ What does a pristine comet or interstellar object look like up close?
🔎 How are they different?
🌏 What role do they play in the appearance of life on Earth?
💫 What was the early Solar System like?
🤔 Should we be worried?
3/ #CM25 🔭
☄️ What does a pristine comet or interstellar object look like up close?
🔎 How are they different?
🌏 What role do they play in the appearance of life on Earth?
💫 What was the early Solar System like?
🤔 Should we be worried?
3/ #CM25 🔭
November 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
#CometInterceptor will answer questions such as:
☄️ What does a pristine comet or interstellar object look like up close?
🔎 How are they different?
🌏 What role do they play in the appearance of life on Earth?
💫 What was the early Solar System like?
🤔 Should we be worried?
3/ #CM25 🔭
☄️ What does a pristine comet or interstellar object look like up close?
🔎 How are they different?
🌏 What role do they play in the appearance of life on Earth?
💫 What was the early Solar System like?
🤔 Should we be worried?
3/ #CM25 🔭
#CometInterceptor will be 'parked' in space before traveling to an as-yet-undiscovered comet and complete a flyby.
Its three spacecraft will perform simultaneous observations from multiple points around the comet, creating a 3D profile of the object.
2/ #CM25 🔭
Its three spacecraft will perform simultaneous observations from multiple points around the comet, creating a 3D profile of the object.
2/ #CM25 🔭
November 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
#CometInterceptor will be 'parked' in space before traveling to an as-yet-undiscovered comet and complete a flyby.
Its three spacecraft will perform simultaneous observations from multiple points around the comet, creating a 3D profile of the object.
2/ #CM25 🔭
Its three spacecraft will perform simultaneous observations from multiple points around the comet, creating a 3D profile of the object.
2/ #CM25 🔭
Waiting for a comet in space ☄️
Targeting launch in 2029, #CometInterceptor will be parked in space, waiting for an as-yet-undiscovered comet to come by.
Discover more about this ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
Targeting launch in 2029, #CometInterceptor will be parked in space, waiting for an as-yet-undiscovered comet to come by.
Discover more about this ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
October 3, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Waiting for a comet in space ☄️
Targeting launch in 2029, #CometInterceptor will be parked in space, waiting for an as-yet-undiscovered comet to come by.
Discover more about this ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
Targeting launch in 2029, #CometInterceptor will be parked in space, waiting for an as-yet-undiscovered comet to come by.
Discover more about this ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
Online meeting: il #CometInterceptor Target Identification WG si riunisce per aggiornarsi sulle attività in corso, parlando in particolare della nuova #cometa #interstellare 3I/ATLAS, e della prossima pubblicazione del gruppo
September 10, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Online meeting: il #CometInterceptor Target Identification WG si riunisce per aggiornarsi sulle attività in corso, parlando in particolare della nuova #cometa #interstellare 3I/ATLAS, e della prossima pubblicazione del gruppo
Had an interesting talk about Arrokoth in a recent #CometInterceptor meeting. Will be fascinating to compare the appearance of this Kuiper belt object in situ with an incoming comet from there or the Oort cloud #PlanetSci
The sharpest view of Arrokoth - From Thomas Appéré (thomasappere.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/SJZ9fj
February 21, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Had an interesting talk about Arrokoth in a recent #CometInterceptor meeting. Will be fascinating to compare the appearance of this Kuiper belt object in situ with an incoming comet from there or the Oort cloud #PlanetSci
☄️ #CometInterceptor will target a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time.
The mission will investigate if these comets are different from the ones we know and if they contributed to the appearance of life on Earth, among others.
Read more 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
The mission will investigate if these comets are different from the ones we know and if they contributed to the appearance of life on Earth, among others.
Read more 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
Top five questions Comet Interceptor will help answer
Comet Interceptor will target a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time. Such objects are difficult to get close to because we can only detect them when they fly near the Sun...
www.esa.int
May 23, 2025 at 9:16 AM
☄️ #CometInterceptor will target a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time.
The mission will investigate if these comets are different from the ones we know and if they contributed to the appearance of life on Earth, among others.
Read more 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
The mission will investigate if these comets are different from the ones we know and if they contributed to the appearance of life on Earth, among others.
Read more 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
Just presented my work to the #CometInterceptor SWT on.. you guessed it, thermophysical modelling of #comet #67P ☄️
April 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Just presented my work to the #CometInterceptor SWT on.. you guessed it, thermophysical modelling of #comet #67P ☄️
...I wrote a short summary for our group's website here.
We still have work to do to understand cometary activity before #CometInterceptor shows us a brand new #comet some time in the next 5 or 6 years!
scitechss.iaa.es/cometary-act...
We still have work to do to understand cometary activity before #CometInterceptor shows us a brand new #comet some time in the next 5 or 6 years!
scitechss.iaa.es/cometary-act...
Cometary activity challenges scientists: difficult to find a balance in the models between no activity models and too much activity – SCITECHSS Group
scitechss.iaa.es
July 3, 2025 at 1:36 PM
...I wrote a short summary for our group's website here.
We still have work to do to understand cometary activity before #CometInterceptor shows us a brand new #comet some time in the next 5 or 6 years!
scitechss.iaa.es/cometary-act...
We still have work to do to understand cometary activity before #CometInterceptor shows us a brand new #comet some time in the next 5 or 6 years!
scitechss.iaa.es/cometary-act...
𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝: ☄️ #CometInterceptor will explore a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time.
Looking forward to the insights this could bring on the origins of life on Earth.
#SpaceExploration @esa
Link: bsky.app/profile/scie...
Looking forward to the insights this could bring on the origins of life on Earth.
#SpaceExploration @esa
Link: bsky.app/profile/scie...
ESA Space Science (@science.esa.int)
☄️ #CometInterceptor will target a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time. The mission will investigate if these comets are different from the ones we know and if they…
bsky.app
June 10, 2025 at 5:01 AM
𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝: ☄️ #CometInterceptor will explore a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time.
Looking forward to the insights this could bring on the origins of life on Earth.
#SpaceExploration @esa
Link: bsky.app/profile/scie...
Looking forward to the insights this could bring on the origins of life on Earth.
#SpaceExploration @esa
Link: bsky.app/profile/scie...
Finally, some #PlanetaryScience! 😛 No offence to all the galaxies and cosmology, which is also fascinating, but this is why I'm interested in @vrubinobs.bsky.social's LSST. It will discover so many solar system objects, hopefully including the #CometInterceptor target! ☄️
I really like this video showing some of the 2104 asteroids found in 10 hours of data - really gives a sense of how Rubin's view of the changing sky will be different. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrmI...
A Swarm of New Asteroids
YouTube video by NOIRLabAstro
www.youtube.com
June 23, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Finally, some #PlanetaryScience! 😛 No offence to all the galaxies and cosmology, which is also fascinating, but this is why I'm interested in @vrubinobs.bsky.social's LSST. It will discover so many solar system objects, hopefully including the #CometInterceptor target! ☄️
We’re about to find many more interstellar interlopers—here’s how to visit one https://arstechni.ca... #europeanspaceagency #interstellarobject #cometinterceptor #alanstern #Features #Science #Space #comet #juno #NASA #swri
October 9, 2025 at 4:03 PM
We’re about to find many more interstellar interlopers—here’s how to visit one https://arstechni.ca... #europeanspaceagency #interstellarobject #cometinterceptor #alanstern #Features #Science #Space #comet #juno #NASA #swri
#Huygens remains humanity's most distant planetary landing. Incredible mission, technology and scientific discoveries. Happy Birthday #Huygens. A vital foundation for subsequent missions like @esa.int #Rosetta #BepiColombo, #JUICE, #CometInterceptor and our future L4 mission to #Enceladus!
#OTD 14 January 2005, ESA’s #Huygens probe made history as it touched down on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. This was humankind's first successful landing on a world in the outer Solar System. Relive those moments with this narrated video made with Huygens data 🔭👇
www.youtube.com/watch?v=svmG...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=svmG...
Huygens's descent to Titan's surface
YouTube video by ESA Space Science Hub
www.youtube.com
January 14, 2025 at 10:16 AM
#Huygens remains humanity's most distant planetary landing. Incredible mission, technology and scientific discoveries. Happy Birthday #Huygens. A vital foundation for subsequent missions like @esa.int #Rosetta #BepiColombo, #JUICE, #CometInterceptor and our future L4 mission to #Enceladus!
Congratulations! MPS scientists are also involved in #CometInterceptor. Looking forward to an amazing mission! https://x.com/esascience/status/1141339270512349184
January 10, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Congratulations! MPS scientists are also involved in #CometInterceptor. Looking forward to an amazing mission! https://x.com/esascience/status/1141339270512349184
Very interested in the launch of #Ariane 6, the rocket that will carry the #CometInterceptor spacecraft in a few years time! 🚀🛰️
🚀 Liftoff for Ariane 6 from Europe's Spaceport!
Ariane 6 carries the CSO-3 satellite for DGA & CNES on behalf of the French Air and Space Force's Space Command.
Ariane 6 carries the CSO-3 satellite for DGA & CNES on behalf of the French Air and Space Force's Space Command.
March 6, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Very interested in the launch of #Ariane 6, the rocket that will carry the #CometInterceptor spacecraft in a few years time! 🚀🛰️
J'ai récemment réalise un MOC Lego pour la mission #esa #CometInterceptor :)
Instructions disponibles ici: www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Instructions disponibles ici: www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Comet Interceptor LEGO model
Comet Interceptor LEGO model
www.esa.int
March 4, 2024 at 10:28 AM
J'ai récemment réalise un MOC Lego pour la mission #esa #CometInterceptor :)
Instructions disponibles ici: www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Instructions disponibles ici: www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Traveling again! Waiting for the 🚄 with a 🥐 (🔭 visible in background). I'm popping over to #Marseille for the day to see old colleagues at #LAM. Also to give a talk, and have web meetings with other colleagues and a #CometInterceptor instrument meeting. Phew, it's gonna be a busy day!
March 25, 2025 at 6:34 AM
Traveling again! Waiting for the 🚄 with a 🥐 (🔭 visible in background). I'm popping over to #Marseille for the day to see old colleagues at #LAM. Also to give a talk, and have web meetings with other colleagues and a #CometInterceptor instrument meeting. Phew, it's gonna be a busy day!
☄️ Notre mission #CometInterceptor ciblera une comète qui pénètre pour la 1ère fois dans le Système solaire interne afin de déterminer si ces comètes sont différentes de celles que nous connaissons et si elles ont contribué, par ex, à l'apparition de la vie sur Terre.
🔗 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🔗 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
Top five questions Comet Interceptor will help answer
Comet Interceptor will target a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time. Such objects are difficult to get close to because we can only detect them when they fly near the Sun...
www.esa.int
May 23, 2025 at 9:53 AM
☄️ Notre mission #CometInterceptor ciblera une comète qui pénètre pour la 1ère fois dans le Système solaire interne afin de déterminer si ces comètes sont différentes de celles que nous connaissons et si elles ont contribué, par ex, à l'apparition de la vie sur Terre.
🔗 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🔗 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
#CometInterceptor tendrá como objetivo un cometa prístino que entrará por primera vez en el Sistema Solar interior.
La misión investigará si estos cometas son diferentes de los que conocemos y si contribuyeron a la aparición de la vida en la Tierra, entre otras cosas.
Seguir leyendo 👇
La misión investigará si estos cometas son diferentes de los que conocemos y si contribuyeron a la aparición de la vida en la Tierra, entre otras cosas.
Seguir leyendo 👇
☄️ #CometInterceptor will target a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time.
The mission will investigate if these comets are different from the ones we know and if they contributed to the appearance of life on Earth, among others.
Read more 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
The mission will investigate if these comets are different from the ones we know and if they contributed to the appearance of life on Earth, among others.
Read more 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭
Top five questions Comet Interceptor will help answer
Comet Interceptor will target a pristine comet entering the inner Solar System for the first time. Such objects are difficult to get close to because we can only detect them when they fly near the Sun...
www.esa.int
May 23, 2025 at 11:22 AM
#CometInterceptor tendrá como objetivo un cometa prístino que entrará por primera vez en el Sistema Solar interior.
La misión investigará si estos cometas son diferentes de los que conocemos y si contribuyeron a la aparición de la vida en la Tierra, entre otras cosas.
Seguir leyendo 👇
La misión investigará si estos cometas son diferentes de los que conocemos y si contribuyeron a la aparición de la vida en la Tierra, entre otras cosas.
Seguir leyendo 👇
First thing is attending (remotely) another Science Working Team meeting of #CometInterceptor.
The most exciting news so far is that there will be a public competition at some point to name the spacecraft from their current boring A, B1, and B2 🙂🛰️
The most exciting news so far is that there will be a public competition at some point to name the spacecraft from their current boring A, B1, and B2 🙂🛰️
March 31, 2025 at 1:15 PM
First thing is attending (remotely) another Science Working Team meeting of #CometInterceptor.
The most exciting news so far is that there will be a public competition at some point to name the spacecraft from their current boring A, B1, and B2 🙂🛰️
The most exciting news so far is that there will be a public competition at some point to name the spacecraft from their current boring A, B1, and B2 🙂🛰️
#CometInterceptor zal de eerste missie zijn die een komeet bezoekt die rechtstreeks uit de buitenste regionen van het zonnestelsel komt en materiaal vervoert dat sinds het ontstaan van het zonnestelsel onaangeroerd is gebleven.
#CometInterceptor will be the first mission to visit a comet coming directly from the outer reaches of the Sun's realm, carrying material untouched since the dawn of the Solar System.
Part of #CosmicVision, Comet Interceptor is an ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA.
1/ #CM25 🔭
Part of #CosmicVision, Comet Interceptor is an ESA-led mission in collaboration with JAXA.
1/ #CM25 🔭
November 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM
#CometInterceptor zal de eerste missie zijn die een komeet bezoekt die rechtstreeks uit de buitenste regionen van het zonnestelsel komt en materiaal vervoert dat sinds het ontstaan van het zonnestelsel onaangeroerd is gebleven.