Why is exploring comets so important for space exploration in general?
The comets are particularly important because they, or rather others more or less like them, may have originally provided most of the water and organic chemicals to Earth 4 billion years ago.They provide a key record of what conditions were like 4 to 4.5 billion years ago. Comets also occasionally hit Earth in modern times. Fortunately, not very often and specifically none in our lifetimes, although a few people still think that the airblast above Tunguska in 1908 might have been a comet. What advice do you have for someone just starting their career in this field? Working in planetary science requires a wide range of technical background. As a student, having studied a lot of physics is what has helped me the most. Above all, a sense of wonder and of curiosity is crucial. Has there been any surprises so far in your career that you would like to share? Many times I have been surprised by the results of an observation. This happens whenever you do something entirely new. The crucial thi
