ESA's Comet Interceptor mission seeks a new comet or interstellar object

ESA's Comet Interceptor mission aims to visit a newly discovered comet or interstellar object. The mission will wait at a parking orbit for a suitable target. The mission has strict criteria for potential targets, including proximity and brightness. A new paper analyzes these conditions and the likelihood of finding a suitable comet. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's LSST is expected to help identify potential comets for the mission, which is scheduled to launch in 2029.