Belgian software engineering company Spacebel has announced a deal with OHB Italia, one of Europe’s major space companies, for the Comet Interceptor mission run by the European Space Agency (ESA).
Scheduled for launch in 2029, Comet Interceptor aims to research and analyse a comet situated approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth within 5 to 6 years after its launch.
The comet’s materials have remained unchanged since the formation of our solar system, roughly 4.5 billion years ago.
The ESA programme, implemented in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aims to broaden our understanding of comets and the origins of our solar system.
OHB Italia, the mission's prime contractor, has signed a contract with Spacebel, the Belgian company announced on Monday.
This agreement involves the provision of core software for the spacecraft, its platform equipment and payload instruments. Spacebel said about 10 engineers will be assigned to this project over the next two years.
The company, based in Liège with an office in Hoeilaart, also contributed to the exploration of the Rosetta comet in the late 90s, through a software validation system and a tool for visualising space data.
Spacebel is also engaged in ESA’s upcoming Hera mission, to be launched in October 2024 as part of its space security programme. This mission will conduct a detailed study of an asteroid after a collision with NASA’s Dart probe, launched in 2022.
