Comet Interceptor
| Mission type | Comet flyby |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA / JAXA |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | ≈ 5 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Comet Interceptor |
| Launch mass | Approx. 850 kg (1,870 lb). |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2029 (planned) |
| Rocket | Ariane 62 |
| Launch site | Kourou ELA-4 |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Flyby of a long-period comet yet to be selected | |
The Comet Interceptor is a robotic spacecraft mission led by the European Space Agency (ESA) planned for launch in 2029. The spacecraft will be "parked" at the Sun-Earth L2 point and wait for up to three years for a long-period comet to fly by at a reachable trajectory and speed.
The Principal Investigator is Geraint Jones, from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory in the United Kingdom. The maximum cost of the spacecraft bus is set at €150M, excluding science instruments and launch services.