TORONTO – If you think getting out of bed this morning was tough, just imagine what it’s like to wake up after 31 months of hibernation.
No, we’re not talking about a bear with a sleeping disorder, but rather a satellite. And the European Space Agency (ESA) is asking for your help.
Joining in with NASA, which has recently used social media to promote its missions (Curiosity, Cassini), the ESA is inviting the public to participate in its “Wake Up Rosetta” campaign.
Rosetta, which has been chasing comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko since 2004, was put into hibernation in mid 2011.
The spacecraft’s goal is to make an unprecedented study of a comet. It will follow the comet through the inner solar system, measuring its activity as it is warmed up by the sun. It will also deploy a lander called Philae to drill more than 20 cm into the comet’s surface in November and collect samples that will be analyzed by the on-board laboratory.
It is believed that comets brought water to Earth, helping to start the process of life.
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The ESA is asking the public to “virtually” shout #WakeUpRosetta at @ESA_Rosetta on Monday at 10:00 a.m. GMT (5:00 a.m. EST, 2 a.m. PST). It is also inviting people to share a video clip of themselves shouting “Wake up, Rosetta!” on the ESA’s Facebook page.
Each of the top ten videos will be transmitted toward Rosetta in February and each eligible participant in the winning videos will receive a gift bag.
The campaign runs until 5:30 p.m. GMT (12:30 p.m. EST, 9:30 a.m.) January 20.
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