Deep Impact (space mission) facts for kids
Deep Impact was a NASA space mission to study comets. It was sent out to meet Comet Tempel 1, and to crash a smaller space rocket deep into the comet's surface.
Deep Impact was launched on January 12, 2005 from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket used was Delta II. It reached the comet in July 2005, 134,000,000 kilometres (83,000,000 miles) from Earth. After taking photos, the 370 kilograms (820 pounds) impactor spacecraft was sent to crash into the surface on July 4, 2005. This created a huge crater and blasted parts of the comet into space. Deep Impact was able to study this debris which included ice and dust from deep inside the comet. This has helped scientists understand what comets are made of.
From the explosion scientists discovered that the comet had water ice both on the surface and deep inside. One scientist described it as being like a "...skating rink of snowy dirt." They were able to work out the comet was formed in the area between Uranus and Neptune.
After the mission, NASA decided to send Deep Impact to study the Comet 85P/Boethin. However the comet did not return on its expected 11 year path around the sun, and has not been seen since.
Images for kids
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Cameras of the Flyby spacecraft, HRI at right, MRI at left
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Comet Tempel 1 imaged on April 25, 2005 by the Deep Impact spacecraft
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Deep Impact comet encounter sequence
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Mission team members celebrate after the impact with the comet
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'Before and after' comparison images from Deep Impact and Stardust, showing the crater formed by Deep Impact on the right hand image.
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The image of the impact which was widely circulated in the media
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Deep Impact participation certificate of Mathias Rex
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Comet Hartley 2 on November 4, 2010
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May 30, 2005, 35 days from impact
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June 15, 19 days from impact
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June 21, 13 days from impact
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June 27, 7 days from impact, near end of approach phase
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Comet Tempel 1, imaged from 4.2 million km at the start of Impact phase
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Impactor imaged by Flyby spacecraft shortly after separation
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Image from Impactor
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Impactor close-up image, taken shortly before impact
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The moment of impact, as shown on NASA TV
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HRI movie of impact
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High Resolution Instrument, Visual CCD (HRIV) during encounter (video)
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Impactor Targeting Sensor, Visual CCD (ITS) during encounter (video)
See also
In Spanish: Deep Impact (sonda espacial) para niños
