14 DAY TRIAL // Officials with the European Space Agency (ESA) say that their Rosetta spacecraft, which is currently on its way towards meeting up with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, is about to begin its wake-up process, after remaining in hibernation for the long trip for several years.
The purpose of Rosetta is not only to study this 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) comet, but also to deploy a lander on its surface. The robot, called Philae, will attempt to hook itself to the comet's surface, and then harvest some samples for analysis.
This mission will give us new knowledge about the early history of the solar system, particularly because comets are pristine records of how the system looked like more than 4.6 billion years ago, when the Sun formed. Rosetta may also determine if life or its main ingredients were brought to Earth from space.
After waking up in January 2014, the spacecraft will check all of its instruments, as will the Philae lander. The duo is scheduled to reach 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in late November 2014, Space reports.