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ARIEL & Comet Interceptor
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Status
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To Be Determined
Current date is a placeholder or rough estimation based on unreliable or interpreted sources.
Launch Window
ProPro required
Description
Atmospheric Remote sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large survey mission (ARIEL) is an ESA telescope. During a 4-year mission, ARIEL will observe 1000 planets orbiting distant stars and make the first large-scale survey of the chemistry of exoplanet atmospheres. For a select number of exoplanets, ARIEL will also perform a deep survey of their cloud systems and study seasonal and daily atmospheric variations. ARIEL shares the ride with another ESA mission, Comet Interceptor. It consists of three spacecraft which will be positioned at the Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2, where they will wait for a long-period comet or an interstellar object to come by. Once the desired target appears, the spacecraft will separate and perform a flyby of the target, compiling a detailed 3D profile of a comet.
Details
Type
Planetary Science
Orbit
Sun-Earth L2 (L2)
Location
Unknown
Date
Mon, Dec 31, 2029, 24:00
Rocket
Mission Patch
ESA Ariel Patch