Arianespace and the European Space Agency have postponed the launch of the Rosetta asteroid and comet explorer as the investigation into the failure of the first Ariane 5 ECA booster in December continues. Rosetta should have been launched before 31 January to allow it to enter orbit around the comet Wirtanen in 2011 and to place a lander on the surface a year later, after a protracted tour of the solar system including planetary gravity assists using the Earth and Mars and exploration of two asteroids. The craft will be redirected to another comet and a new flightpath and launch date calculated after the 5G booster is cleared for flight. The delay may last at least a year.
Source: Flight International
