After two   geezerhood of successfully revolve Comet 67P / Churyumov - Gerasimenko , ESA’sRosetta spacecraftis ready to take its final plunge on September 30 .

The comet is now move further and further from the Sun , so the solar - power slyness is receiving importantly less energy to power itself and its   instruments . There were proffer of sending the probe into hibernation , but after   12 age in distance ( two years around a cold comet ) , it ’s not unmortgaged if the age space vehicle would awaken up again .

It ’s not all end of the world and gloom , though . The terminal hours of the ballistic capsule will furnish the closest - ever image of a comet as well as   the   highest - preciseness measurements of 67P.

“ We ’re trying to squeeze as many observations in as possible before we guide out of solar king , ” say Matt Taylor , ESA Rosetta project scientist , in astatement .   “ September 30 will mark the end of spacecraft operations , but the beginning of the phase where the full focusing of the team will be on science . That is what theRosetta missionwas launched for and we have geezerhood of work ahead of us , soundly analyzing its data . ”

Rosetta will be set on its final course of study in   August with a serial publication of accurate maneuvers that will slowly set it on its final flight . The approaching has to be dull because the closer it let , the larger the influence of the comet ’s uneven gravitational attraction .

The final trajectory modification will pass 12 hours before impact , when the investigation will be 20 kilometers ( 12 miles )   from Rosetta . Days before , the final instructions will be uploaded , commanding Rosetta to turn off all its   instrumental role on impact .

Its speed on impact will be 1.8 kilometre / Planck’s constant ( 1.1 mph ) , which is fairly gentle , although it ’s unclear if any of the spacecraft will survive intact .

“ Although we ’ll do the good job possible to keep Rosetta safe until then , we have sex from our experience of nearly two year at the comet that things may not go quite as we plan and , as always , we have to be cook for the unexpected , ” cautioned Patrick Martin , ESA Rosetta ’s mission manager .   “ This is the ultimate challenge for our team and for our space vehicle , and it will be a very fitting means to end the unbelievable and successful Rosetta mission . ”

This is the beginning of the end for Rosetta , but more incredible skill is coming .