The weight of Comet 67P/C-G
Scientists, using radio and orbital data from Rosetta, have made their first estimate of the mass of Comet 67P/C-G.
For the Rosetta mission, this task comes under the umbrella of the Radio Science Investigation (RSI). Using 80 hours worth of tracking data between 6 August, since arriving at the comet, and up to 9 August, the RSI team made a first estimate of the comet’s mass as approximately 1×10^13 kg +/-10%, or about 10 trillion kilograms.
This is very much a preliminary number which will be refined significantly as the spacecraft continues its travels with the comet.
More here. This mass, when considered in conjunction with the nucleus’s size, suggests a very low density. If you could find an ocean large enough it would float.
Scientists, using radio and orbital data from Rosetta, have made their first estimate of the mass of Comet 67P/C-G.
For the Rosetta mission, this task comes under the umbrella of the Radio Science Investigation (RSI). Using 80 hours worth of tracking data between 6 August, since arriving at the comet, and up to 9 August, the RSI team made a first estimate of the comet’s mass as approximately 1×10^13 kg +/-10%, or about 10 trillion kilograms.
This is very much a preliminary number which will be refined significantly as the spacecraft continues its travels with the comet.
More here. This mass, when considered in conjunction with the nucleus’s size, suggests a very low density. If you could find an ocean large enough it would float.