SpaceRef - Exploration and Missions - Robotic Missions - Planetary Science

SpaceRef - Exploration and Missions - Robotic Missions - Planetary Science - Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR)

CONTOUR - NASA Mission to fly by three comet nuclei - The Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR) Discovery class mission has as its primary objective close fly-bys of three comet nuclei with the possibility of a fly-by of a fourth, as-yet-undiscovered comet. The three comets to be visited are Encke, Schwassmann-Wachmann-3 and d'Arrest. It is hoped that a fourth comet will be discovered that will be in the inner solar system between 2006 and 2008. NASA GSFC's National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC)

CONTOUR: Comet Nucleus Tour - CONTOUR is a NASA Discovery mission that will visit and study three comets (Encke, SW3, and d'Arrest). For the first time, we will be able to assess how diverse these original building blocks of the solar system are. CONTOUR will also clear up the many mysteries of how comets evolve as they approach the Sun and their ices begin to evaporate.

The Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR) at NASA JPL - After being launched in August 2002, the CONTOUR spacecraft will study three diverse comets, Encke, Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (SW3), and d'Arrest. Using multiple Earth swingby maneuvers to reshape its trajectory, the CONTOUR spacecraft will conduct flyby encounters with comets Encke, SW3 and d'Arrest in November 2003, June 2006, and August 2008 respectively.