Aster › Space program › 19P/Borrelly
19P/Borrelly
Position on the route: 37/181 · level needed 71 · journey (Mk0 engine) 12.5 h
By the numbers
| Nucleus | ≈ 8 × 4 km |
|---|---|
| Year | 6.9 years |
| Found | 1904, Borrelly |
| Deep Space 1 | 22 September 2001 |
The story
Borrelly is a Jupiter-family comet found by Alphonse Borrelly from Marseille in 1904. Deep Space 1 passed it at about 2,200 km on 22 September 2001; the craft’s main purpose was to test new technology, above all the ion engine.
The nucleus is about 8 × 4 km and reflects only 3 % of the light, among the darkest objects in the Solar System. Its surface is dry, pitted and hilly, with jets rising from distinct spots.
Missions
- Deep Space 1 (NASA, 2001): a flyby
Colony note
Very dark; a small outpost only.
What probes bring back
- Deep Space 1 passed at about 2,200 km on 22 September 2001. The nucleus is about 8 × 4 km and reflects only 3 % of the light: one of the darkest objects known.
- The craft was among the first to fly on an ion engine; the comet’s surface is dry and pitted and its jets come from distinct spots.