Rosetta will be the first spacecraft to orbit a comet and to place a lander on the surface . ESA says the mission 's objective is to help understand the origin and evolution of the solar system and investigate the role that comets may have played in seeding Earth with water . NASA says the mission objective is to help understand the evolution of the solar system . After observing the comet a lander will be deployed to the surface . Some believe Earth may have received its name from comets .
Rosetta will be the first spacecraft to orbit a comet and to place a lander on the surface . NASA says the mission objective is to help understand the evolution of the solar system . After observing the comet a lander will be deployed to the surface . Some believe Earth may have received its name from comets .