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> Cometary probe Giotto in test

Cometary probe Giotto in test

author: ESA/Novapix

reference: e-son30-00002

Image Size 300 DPI: 17 * 17 cm

ESA's Giotto cometary probe during solar simulation tests at Intespace in Toulouse, France.
ESA's first deep space mission, Giotto, a 960-kg spacecraft, was launched from Kourou, French Guiana on July 2, 1985, atop an Ariane 1. In March 1986, Giotto was the last probe to approach the comet 1P/Halley and the only one to attempt a close flyby of its nucleus, an all-time first for a man-made spacecraft. The closest approach occurred at 00:03:02 UT on March 14, when Giotto, protected by its dust shield, came within 596 km of Halley's nucleus.

Keywords for this photo:

1985 - GIOTTO - HUMAN - PREPARATION - SPACE - SPACECRAFT - SPACEPROBE - TEST -