Rosetta Crashes to its End: What Europe's Comet Mission Accomplished Over 12 Years

Europe's Rosetta spacecraft will go out with a bang - or rather, a crash - on the surface of a comet it has followed faithfully for two years.

According to a report from Phys Org, the 12-year odyssey is set to conclude this Friday, September 30, but not without gathering a final set of data on the comet 67P at an unprecedented close proximity.

"We hope to look at structures on the walls of the pits which may date to the time of the comet's formation," Philae scientist Jean-Pierre Bibring said in an interview with AFP, according to Phys Org.

As it descends, the Rosetta will record new measurements including the comet 67P's gas density, surface temperature and gravity field. It's expected to get within tens of meters to the surface and transmit the data to Earth just before it crashes and shut down for good.

European Space Agency (ESA) said that additional data will no longer be possible after the Rosetta hits the surface of the comet saying, "The unique measurements obtained during this final descent will be a fitting closing chapter to Rosetta's time spent living with this comet."

All the action is expected to take place over 700 million kilometers from Earth as both the comet and Rosetta will be speeding through the sky at more than 14 kilometers per second.

A fact sheet from the ESA said that the Rosetta launched back in March 2004 from Kourou, French Guina. Its lander, Philae, landed on the comet's surface in November 2014.

Among other new findings, Rosetta's close observations has led scientists to discover the presence of organic molecules in the comet, according to a separate report from Phys Org. This includes amino acids, the building blocks of life, supporting the theory that comets played a big part in starting life in the planet by transfering organic materials to Earth during a crash.