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Giotto

Giotto was ESA's first deep-space mission and the first spacecraft to obtain close images of a comet nucleus. After surviving its passage through Halley's dusty coma, it was redirected for a second comet encounter.

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Identity

Aliases
Giotto Extended MissionGEM
Name
Giotto
Slug
giotto
Status
completed

Details

Astronauts
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Description
Giotto was ESA's first deep-space mission and the first spacecraft to obtain close images of a comet nucleus. After surviving its passage through Halley's dusty coma, it was redirected for a second comet encounter.
End Date
1992-07-23
Launch Site
Outcome
Giotto passed 596 kilometers from Comet Halley on March 14, 1986 and revealed its dark, active nucleus. Reactivated for an extended mission, it flew about 200 kilometers from Comet Grigg-Skjellerup on July 10, 1992 and entered final hibernation on July 23.
Program
Halley Armada
Start Date
1985-07-02
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Creation Time
July 18, 2026 at 13:04:33 UTC
Updated Time
July 18, 2026 at 13:04:33 UTC

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