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Rosetta probe passes first tests
Rosetta detected water molecules in the "atmosphere" around Comet Linear
Europe's comet-chasing spacecraft successfully completed its first scientific task: observation of Comet C/2002 T7, or Comet Linear. It even detected water molecules in the "atmosphere" around the comet. The £600 million probe is on a 7 billion-km journey to rendezvous with a different target: Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.  Full Story  BBC News_ 5/28/04

Two asteroid fly-bys for Rosetta
The Rosetta Science Working Team has made the final selection of the asteroids that Rosetta will observe at close quarters during its journey to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Steins and Lutetia lie in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.  Full story  ESA 3/11/04

Rosetta begins its 10-year journey to the origins of the Solar System
Europe’s Rosetta cometary probe has been successfully launched into an orbit around the Sun, which will allow it to reach the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014 after three flybys of the Earth and one of Mars. During this 10-year journey, the probe will pass close to at least one asteroid.  Full story  European Space Agency 3/2/04