Comet-Hunting Spacecraft Deep Impact Continues to Provide Value

Originally launched in 2005, Deep Impact, a spacecraft by NASA, can still be used after five years of tracking down two comets. On November 4, this explorer cruised near Comet Hartley 2. It went as near as 435 miles (700km) from the comet and has captured thousands of photos of the icy comet. The pictures will be able to help scientists further understand the structures and evolution of comets.

By trailing Comet Hartley 2, Deep Impact has journeyed 2.8 billion miles, thus using up most of its fuel. As a result, the probe won’t have enough fuel to track another comet. However, it won’t go to the dumps. NASA officials stated that the probe might be used as a stationary observing platform for future studies. Researchers are still thinking of other uses for the probe.

There are only five comets to be pictured up-close, with two of them being taken by Deep Impact. Aside from Comet Hartley 2, Comet Tempel 1 was photographed in 2005. Aside from being an effective probe, Deep Impact also saved NASA a lot of money. After Tempel 1, the probe only cost the agency $45 million, instead of using $4.5 billion to launch a new mission.