Using advanced technology and a small, maneuverable spacecraft, scientists venture out into the cosmic “neighborhood” around Earth as part of a long-term study of small objects in the Solar System. Primary targets include comets and asteroids, which scientists believe are the oldest bodies in the Solar System and may preserve the earliest record of the materials that formed the planets of our Solar System.

During this mission, team members will work as scientists and engineers headed to Rendezvous With A Comet as part of the continued study of out Solar System. These rendezvous mission are critical in helping scientists verify and better understand data collected by other missions currently occurring, such as STARDUST and its capture of material from the coma of Comet Wild-2 in 2004 and the return of that material to Earth in 2006. The actual samples provided by STARDUST will establish baseline data on comets that will be used for future explorations.

Working with their counterparts in Mission Control, the astronauts in the spacecraft are tasked with sending a probe to intercept and collect new data on the well-studied, short period comet named Encke. The information collected in this pioneer mission will lead the way for the CONTOUR spacecraft to rendezvous with Comet Encke in 2003.

Comet Neck provides an excellent target because its short period (3.3 years) has allowed it to be observed from Earth at more appearances that any other comet, including the famous Come Halley. Encke continues to puzzle scientists because it has been in a short-period orbit for thousands of years and continues to have a high level of activity as the Sun’s hear boils off its dirty ices into gases and dust.

The small, maneuverable spacecrafts used for these rendezvous missions require lots of maintenance, providing plenty of challenges for the crews in space and on the ground. Navigating into the correct positions for a probe launch, not to mention sending a probe through the material surroundings an active comet requires concentration and teamwork to successfully collect vital scientific data, thus completing the mission.

Small bodies in the Solar System are also highly unpredictable objects and have been known to surprise scientists from time to time Crewmembers will also need to e on their toes and ready to make quick decisions.