Mission Status and Plan

Comet Interceptor was adopted on 8 June 2022 and is now in deleopment phase. It passed its Critical Desigb Review in December 2024. It will be launched as a passenger to ARIEL in 2029. 

Comet Interceptor (Comet-I) is a ‘Fast’ (F-) development mission in the ESA’s Science Program.  The Call for an F-class mission was issued by ESA in July 2018. The mission was selected in June 2019, undergoing a phase 0 study in the second half of 2019 and phase A/B in the time frame Sep 2020 - June 2022.

The spacecraft and the instruments passed their Preliminary Design Reviews in June 2022. The mission was adopted by ESA's Science Programme Committee on 8 June 2022. The Industrial Policy Committee approved the selection of a consortium led by OHB as Comet Interceptor prime industrial contractor on 6 October 2022.

The instruments passed their Critical Design Review in Nov. 2023. The spacecraft Critical Design Review was passed in December 2024.

After launch, Comet Interceptor will be parked into a halo orbit around the Lagrange point (equilibrium point) L2. It will wait there until it starts its transfer to encounter the target comet. The flyby will then take place when the comet crosses the ecliptic plane.

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