Rosetta is a spacecraft on a 10-year mission to catch a comet. Launched in 2004, the spacecraft arrived at its target Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on Aug. 6, 2014. For our latest story on the historic arrival, visit: Europe's Rosetta Spacecraft Makes Historic Arrival at Comet.

Rosetta is the first spacecraft to accompany a comet as it enters the inner solar system. After meeting up with the comet, it will begin a two-year study of the comet's nucleus and environment, observing how a frozen comet changes as it approaches the heat of the sun. Rosetta will also deploy a robot to make the first controlled landing on a comet. [Photos: Europe's Rosetta Comet Mission in Pictures]

Rosetta is named for the Rosetta Stone, a block of black basalt that was inscribed with a royal decree in three languages — Egyptian hieroglyphics, Egyptian Demotic and Greek.