ROSETTA-ORBITER 67P MIDAS: Comet Dust 3D Images from Extension 3

The Micro-Imaging Dust Analysis System (MIDAS) dataset from the ROSETTA Orbiter provides 3D images and statistical parameters of pristine cometary particles collected near comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This release includes all data from the ROSETTA EXTENSION 3 mission phase and supersedes version 1.0. The data is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze the 3D morphology of cometary dust particles based on the micro-imaging data.
• Calculate statistical parameters of particle size and shape distributions mentioned in the description.
• Study pristine cometary material collected in the vicinity of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
• Validate and update models of cometary dust based on the results of the Comet Science Reviews.

Strengths

• Data is from a dedicated space mission instrument (MIDAS) designed for high-resolution analysis.
• Includes data from the specific ROSETTA EXTENSION 3 mission phase.
• Supersedes a previous version (1.0) based on reviews held in February 2016 and October 2017.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected by the Micro-Imaging Dust Analysis System (MIDAS) instrument on the ROSETTA Orbiter.

Time Range

Covers the ROSETTA EXTENSION 3 mission phase.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 17:00:47.417575; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Vicinity of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.