Planetary Science
EPOXI (DEEP IMPACT)
NonoperationalPlanetary ScienceHeliocentric
Deep Impact was a NASA space probe launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on January 12, 2005. It was designed to study the interior composition of the comet Tempel 1 (9P/Tempel), by releasing an impactor into the comet. At 05:52 UTC on July 4, 2005, the Impactor successfully collided with the comet's nucleus. The impact excavated debris from the interior of the nucleus, forming an impact crater. Photographs taken by the spacecraft showed the comet to be more dusty and less icy than had been expected. The impact generated an unexpectedly large and bright dust cloud, obscuring the view of the impact crater.
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Launch
- Launch date
- January 12, 2005 at 06:47 PM UTC
- Launch site
- Cape Canaveral SFS, USA
- Launched by
- Delta II 7925-9.5 →
- Operator
- United States Air Force
- Mission
- Deep Impact (DIF)
- Launch record
- View full launch →
Trajectory
- Regime
- Interplanetary — Heliocentric
- Reference body
- Heliocentric
Identity
- COSPAR (Int'l)
- 2005-001A
- NORAD catalog №
- 28517
- Object type
- Payload
- Owner / operator
United States- Radar cross-section
- 1.58 m²
- Status
- Nonoperational
End of mission
- Fate
- No longer operational — remains in orbit as inactive.
- Final status
- Nonoperational