Spacer Image
Spacer Image
NASA Logo NASA Logo Ames Research Center
Home
Latest News
Roadmap
Science Goals
Technologies
Missions
Workshops
Education
Public Engagement
Astrobiology Institute
Our Web Awards
Media Center
Related Links
Public Policy
Questions
Leadership Forum
Exploration at NASA
Contacts
Navagation Image Spacer Image
Spacer Image
Spacer Image
Spacer Image
Spacer Image
     

Astrobiology: Latest News


2004-06-17 | MISSIONS
Did Comets Flood Earth's Oceans

The Ptolemy experiment aboard the European Space Agency's Rosetta space craft may help scientists determine if Earth's oceans were formed by seepage from the rocks that originally formed the planet, or from water deposited by comet impacts. Rosetta is the first mission to orbit and land on a comet, providing scientists with a unique opportunity to examine the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko's surface and nucleus.

Life as we know it requires water to survive, and the presence of water is one of the primary sings of a planet's potential habitability. Understanding how Earth became rich with water is vital in determining the origin of life on our planet.


More on this story

Full text of original item from ESA, Jun 17, 2004

Related news stories

Jun 21, 2005 | MISSIONS
Rosetta Monitors Deep Impact
(ESA) - ESA's Rosetta spacecraft will help monitor NASA's Deep Impact craft as it arrives at its target, comet Temple 1.

May 07, 2005 | MISSIONS
Earth and Moon through Rosetta's Eyes
(ESA) - ESA's Rosetta spacecraft has returned infrared and visible images of Earth and the Moon.

Mar 12, 2005 | MISSIONS
Rosetta Performs ESA's Closest-ever Earth Fly-By
(ESA) - Rosetta performed a fly-by of Earth, gaining a gravity assist on its way to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Aug 23, 2004 | MISSIONS
Cooking on a Comet
(ESA) - An instrument on Rosetta will analyze samples from Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko that have been 'cooked' in miniature ovens.

Aug 04, 2004 | MISSIONS
Rosetta's View of Home
(ESA) - Rosetta's NAVCAM was activated for the first time and returned pictures of Earth at 70 million kilometers.

May 27, 2004 | MISSIONS
Rosetta's Scientific 'First' Observation of Comet Linear
(ESA) - ESA's comet-chasing Rosetta spacecraft has made its first scientific observation of the Comet Linear.

May 11, 2004 | MISSIONS
First Scientific Activity for Rosetta
(ESA) - Rosetta performs its first scientific activity by observing the comet Linear.

Mar 11, 2004 | MISSIONS
Two Asteroid Fly-Bys for Rosetta
(ESA) - Two fly-by targets have been chosen for the Rosetta spacecraft as it makes its way to the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Nov 05, 2003 | MISSIONS
Rosetta Ready to Land on a Larger Comet
(ESA) - Scientists with ESA's Rosetta mission believe that the comet-chasing craft is ready to meet its new target.

Sep 08, 2003 | MISSIONS
Hubble Assists Rosetta Comet Mission
(ESA) - The Hubble Telescope has played an important role in preparations for the comet-chasing Rosetta mission.

May 30, 2003 | MISSIONS
New Destination for Rosetta, Europe's Comet Chaser
(ESA) - ESA finalizes plans for updated Rosetta mission.

Mar 10, 2003 | MISSIONS
Rosetta Mission Gets New Target
(BBC News) - Researchers have announced a new scientific target for the comet-chasing Rosetta spacecraft.

Oct 25, 2002 | MISSIONS
Comet Orbiter Shipped to Launch Site
(NASA) - The Rosetta mission prepares for launch as its key instruments enter their final testing stages.

Sep 17, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
One Small Step... but Only on a Hospitable Planet!
(ESA) - Robotic explorers in our solar system may pave the way for future human missions.

Aug 29, 2002 | MISSIONS
No Bugs Please, This Is a Clean Planet!
(ESA) - ESA is making sure its robotic missions to bodies within our solar system are biologically ‘clean’.

Jul 19, 2002 | MISSIONS
Rosetta Passes Compatibility Test
(ESA) - Enginneers continue to test the comet- and asteroid-hunting craft to ensure that it's space-worthy.

Mar 29, 2002 | MISSIONS
Rosetta Runs Hot and Cold
(ESA) - The comet-chaser has been broiled and chilled to prove it can survive the temperature extremes of space.

Jul 06, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Rosetta's CONSERT Heads for a Really Cool Venue
(ESA) - ESA is preparing a new experiment, the Comet Nucleus Sounding Experiment by Radiowave Transmission (CONSERT), to examine the composition of comets.

Jun 25, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Rosetta: a Spacecraft in Search of Pristine Matter
(Spaceflight Now) - The mission will get a close-up view of a comet's nucleus.

Oct 25, 1999 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Miniaturized charged particle detector developed for space research
(NASA) - The sensor will be used aboard ESA's Rosetta comet orbiter mission.


The preceding news links are provided as a public service for interested users. The views and claims expressed in external internet sites are not necessarily those of NASA.

Spacer Image

Questions? Comments?

Responsible NASA Official:
Lynn Rothschild

Designed and Curated by:
Lockheed Martin

NASA Privacy Statement, Disclaimer, and Accessiblity Certification

NASA Home Ames Home Science Home Astrobiology Magazine Astrobiology Institute