MIDAS: Ground Reference Images for Comet Particle Analysis

The Micro-Imaging Dust Analysis System (MIDAS) instrument on the ROSETTA Orbiter captured 3D images of pristine cometary particles near comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This dataset contains reference measurement data acquired with the flight spare unit on ground in 2015, used to improve the accuracy of images from the flight unit. The data was collected by NASA.

Use Cases

• Calibrating 3D imaging instruments based on ground reference measurements
• Developing measurement procedures for spaceborne particle analysis
• Analyzing statistical parameters of cometary dust particles
• Improving image accuracy for flight unit data based on flight spare unit tests

Strengths

• Data originates from a NASA instrument designed for a major space mission (ROSETTA)
• Includes reference measurements from a flight spare unit used for calibration
• Focuses on pristine cometary particles from a specific comet (67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko)

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Data acquired with the flight spare unit of the MIDAS instrument on ground.

Time Range

2015

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 10:11:23.570510; freshness should be verified