Swirling clouds over the South Pacific 11.16.2009
Rosetta's OSIRIS imaging system spotted an anticyclone over the South Pacific on the morning of 13 November. The images show the scene roughly as a human eye would see it.

Rosetta sees a living planet 11.13.2009
Images and data taken just before closest approach were downloaded this morning, and they show the lights of North America in the night and a glowing Southern Hemisphere.

Rosetta bound for outer Solar System after final Earth swingby 11.13.2009
This morning, mission controllers confirmed that ESA�s comet chaser Rosetta had swung by Earth at 8:45 CET as planned, skimming past our planet to pick up a gravitational boost for an epic journey to rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014.

Rosetta darting across the night 11.13.2009
During the night of 12/13 November, scientists working at ESA's Optical Ground Station in Tenerife, Spain, conducted observations to view Rosetta as the satellite approached Earth.

First view of Earth as Rosetta approaches home 11.12.2009
This spectacular image of our home planet was captured by the OSIRIS instrument on ESA's Rosetta comet chaser earlier today as the spacecraft approached Earth for the third and final swingby.

Rosetta may help unravel cosmic mystery 11.12.2009
When Europe's comet chaser Rosetta swings by Earth tomorrow for a critical gravity assist, tracking data will be collected to precisely measure the satellite's change in orbital energy. The results could help unravel a cosmic mystery that has stumped scientists for two decades.

Rosetta approach on schedule 11.6.2009
After the trajectory correction manoeuvre on 22 October, Rosetta has lined up on a near-perfect Earth approach path.

Rosetta lined up nicely for Earth approach 10.28.2009
Following the first and primary trajectory correction manoeuvre 22 October, Rosetta is lined up nicely for the approach to Earth.

Last visit home for ESA's comet chaser 10.20.2009
ESA's Rosetta comet chaser will swing by Earth on 13 November to pick up orbital energy and begin the final leg of its 10-year journey to the outer Solar System.

Rosetta Blog live for final Earth swingby 10.20.2009
The Rosetta Blog is back online for the third and final swingby of Earth, 13 November 2009. The blog will be regularly updated with news and information direct from ESOC, ESA's European Space Operations Centre.

Steins: A diamond in the sky 09.06.2008
The first images from Rosetta's OSIRIS imaging system and VIRTIS infrared spectrometer were derived from raw data this morning and have delivered spectacular results.

Encounter of a different kind: Rosetta observes asteroid at close quarters 09.06.2008
ESA's comet chaser, Rosetta, last night flew by a small body in the main asteroid belt, asteroid Steins, collecting a wealth of information about this rare type of minor Solar System body.

Rosetta Steins fly-by confirmed 09.05.2008
The Rosetta control room at ESA's European Space Operations Centre, ESOC, received the first radio signal after closest approach to asteroid (2867) Steins at 22:14 CEST, confirming a smooth fly-by.

(2867) Steins getting closer 09.05.2008
This animation is composed of images used for the optical navigation campaign as Rosetta followed (2867) Steins, refining its trajectory to close in on the asteroid. They were taken daily by Navigation Camera A between 25 August and 3 September.

Rosetta: Cool science at a rare target 09.04.2008
Steins is Rosetta's first nominal scientific target. Based upon ground-based observations, it has been classified as an 'E-type' asteroid, composed mainly of silicates and basalts, but its properties are not known in detail.

Asteroid (2867) Steins: a portrait 09.03.2008
Asteroid (2867) Steins is the first scientific target of ESA's comet chaser Rosetta. Located in the main asteroid belt, lying between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter, this space rock is being intercepted by Rosetta, which is on its way to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Closest approach is scheduled for 5 September 2008, 20:58 CEST.

Rosetta Steins fly-by timeline 09.02.2008
The Rosetta spacecraft control room is buzzing with anticipation as Rosetta closes in on asteroid 2867 Steins. The fly-by timeline includes a series of critical events, culminating with closest approach - expected at 20:58 CEST, 5 September 2008.

Rosetta spacecraft meets asteroid Steins 08.25.2008
ESA's Rosetta spacecraft will make a historic encounter with asteroid (2867) Steins on 5 September 2008.

Perfect sight: Rosetta cameras track asteroid target 08.18.2008
On 14 August, Rosetta conducted a successful trajectory correction manoeuvre using data obtained from ESA's first-ever optical tracking of an asteroid target, (2867) Steins.

Rosetta starts tracking asteroid Steins 08.04.2008
Heading toward its first target-asteroid, (2867) Steins, ESA's Rosetta spacecraft has started using its cameras to visually track the asteroid and eventually determine its orbit with more accuracy.

Intense preparations for Rosetta's asteroid visit 07.24.2008
Engineers at ESA's European Space Operations Centre in Germany are working to a tight deadline as ESA's comet-chasing spacecraft Rosetta swings steadily closer to a spectacular asteroid fly-by on 5 September 2008.

Rosetta awakes from hibernation for asteroid encounter 03.07.2008
Spacecraft controllers have just awoken Rosetta from hibernation to prepare for its encounter with asteroid (2867) Steins on 5 September.

Rosetta: Earth's true colours 11.20.2007
True colour images of Earth as seen by Rosetta's OSIRIS camera are now available. The pictures were taken on 13 November during the swing-by, and on 15 November, as Rosetta left on its way to the outer Solar System, after the swing-by.

The Moon and Europe - Rosetta OSIRIS images 11.16.2007
As Rosetta closed in on Earth, swung by and then left on its course again, several instruments on the spacecraft were busy taking snaps. As it swung away, the OSIRIS camera also caught glimpses of the Moon.

Rosetta: OSIRIS' view of Earth by night 11.16.2007
This striking composite of Earth by night shows the illuminated crescent over Antarctica and cities of the northern hemisphere. The images were acquired with the OSIRIS Wide Angle Camera (WAC) during Rosetta's second Earth swing-by on 13 November.

Cities at night: Extraordinary Rosetta images 11.14.2007
ESA's Rosetta has returned extraordinary images captured 13 November 2007 as the comet-chasing spacecraft completed a critical Earth swing-by at 45,000 kilometres per hour.

Rosetta swing-by animation 11.14.2007
This animated sequence shows Rosetta's orbit (green) from 1 July 2007 through 31 March 2008, in a top view of the inner Solar System.

Images of Earth and Moon captured by Rosetta 11.14.2007
Images taken right after Rosetta's second Earth swing-by are now available. The comet chaser's navigation camera (NAVCAM) took pictures of regions in the Antarctic and snapshots of Earth and the Moon.

Rosetta Swing-by a Success 11.13.2007
An important milestone has just been accomplished as Rosetta successfully swung by Earth at 21:57 CET. The spacecraft will now be catapulted towards the outer Solar System with its newly-gained energy before coming back to Earth for another boost.

Rosetta Closes in on Earth - a Second Time 11.8.2007
ESA's comet chaser, Rosetta, is on its way to its second close encounter with Earth on 13 November. The spacecraft's operators are leaving no stones unturned to make sure Earth's gravity gives it the exact boost it needs en route to its destination.

Rosetta Roars by Red Planet 2.26.2007
Mars' weekend visitor, the Rosetta spacecraft, successfully whooshed by the planet, getting one of the boosts it needs to head for its comet target

Rosetta Update 2.23.2007
The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft, on its way to comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko, is about to get a boost from the red planet.