Image: Wikimedia Commons

Deep Impact

NASA space probe launched in 2005 to study comet Tempel 1

Spacecraftspace probeQ208231

Also known as Deep Impact Flyby

Launched: January 12, 2005
1
Sources
1.Stated in Jonathan's Space Report
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Operator: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/101992main_factsheet-color-11-19-04.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Manufacturer: Ball Aerospace & Technologies
2
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
2.nasa.gov/pdf/101992main_factsheet-color-11-19-04.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Launch vehicle: Delta II
1
Sources
1.Stated in Jonathan's Space Report
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Mass: 601 kg
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
, 515 kg
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Start point: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17B
1
Sources
1.Stated in Jonathan's Space Report
View statement on Wikidata ↗

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

Deep Impact was a NASA space probe launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on January 12, 2005. It was designed to study the interior composition of the comet Tempel 1 (9P/Tempel), by releasing an impactor into the comet. At 05:52 UTC on July 4, 2005, the Impactor successfully collided with the comet's nucleus. The impact excavated debris from the interior of the nucleus, forming an impact crater. Photographs taken by the spacecraft showed the comet to be more dusty and less icy than had been expected. The impact generated an unexpectedly large and bright dust cloud, obscuring the view of the impact crater.

Overview

All data

45 statements · 58% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Website: jpl.nasa.gov/missions/deep-impact language: English
nasa.gov/mission_pages/deepimpact/main/index.html language: English
Country of origin: United States
1
Sources
1.space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/deep_impact.htm
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Principal investigator: Michael A'Hearn
2
Sources
1.nasa.gov/mission_pages/deepimpact/team/index.html
2.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Length: 3.3 m
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Width: 1.7 m
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Height: 2.3 m
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Powered by: spacecraft solar array quantity: 1 · nominal power output: 92 W
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
nickel–hydrogen battery quantity: 1 · energy storage capacity: 16 ampere-hour
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Space tug: Star 48
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Budget: $267M(2005) excluding: launch vehicle
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Part of: Discovery Program
1
Sources
1.nasa.gov/pdf/103744main_presskit_121404.pdf
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Significant event: loss of signal(August 8, 2013) nature of statement: no earlier than
1
Sources
1.epoxi.astro.umd.edu/1mission/status.shtml
View statement on Wikidata ↗
flyby(November 4, 2010) relative to: 103P/Hartley · closest approach: 694 km
2
Sources
1.pds.nasa.gov/ds-view/pds/viewContext.jsp?identifier=urn%3Anasa%3Apds%3Acontext%3Ainstrument_host%3Aspacecraft.dif&version=1.2
2.science.nasa.gov/mission/deep-impact-epoxi/
View statement on Wikidata ↗
flyby(June 27, 2010) relative to: Earth · closest approach: 30,426 km
1
Sources
1.pds.nasa.gov/ds-view/pds/viewContext.jsp?identifier=urn%3Anasa%3Apds%3Acontext%3Ainvestigation%3Amission.epoxi&version=1.1
View statement on Wikidata ↗
flyby(December 29, 2008) relative to: Earth · closest approach: 43,450 km
1
Sources
1.pds.nasa.gov/ds-view/pds/viewContext.jsp?identifier=urn%3Anasa%3Apds%3Acontext%3Ainvestigation%3Amission.epoxi&version=1.1
View statement on Wikidata ↗
flyby(December 31, 2007) relative to: Earth · closest approach: 15,567.63 km
1
Sources
1.pds.nasa.gov/ds-view/pds/viewContext.jsp?identifier=urn%3Anasa%3Apds%3Acontext%3Ainvestigation%3Amission.epoxi&version=1.1
View statement on Wikidata ↗
flyby(July 4, 2005) relative to: Tempel 1 · closest approach: 500 km
2
Sources
1.pds.nasa.gov/ds-view/pds/viewContext.jsp?identifier=urn%3Anasa%3Apds%3Acontext%3Ainstrument_host%3Aspacecraft.dif&version=1.2
2.science.nasa.gov/mission/deep-impact-epoxi/
View statement on Wikidata ↗
rocket launch(January 12, 2005) location: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17B · together with: Deep Impact Impactor
1
Sources
1.Stated in Jonathan's Space Report
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Participant in: EPOXI
Follows: MESSENGER
Followed by: Dawn

On other databases

13 identifiers linking Deep Impact across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

58%

externally sourced

Source last edited August 13, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). Deep Impact (Q208231). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/deep-impact-Q208231