Operation of CONSERT aboard Rosetta during the descent of Philae

Abstract This paper presents a study investigating the performance of using the CONSERT instrument aboard the Rosetta spacecraft as a radar sounder during the Separation–Descent–Landing (SDL) phase of the Rosetta mission. Gathering scientifically valuable data during this phase will support CONSERT's primary target, the reconstruction of the 3D permittivity distribution within the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, by providing a permittivity map of the surface around the landing site. Simulation results will show the performance of the instrument, using a realistic setup including the antenna characteristics of both orbiter and landing unit as well as a realistic orbitography for the descent phase. It will be shown that operating the CONSERT instrument will indeed provide very valuable data, thereby providing tremendous aid to the experiment's main objective. Furthermore, by including knowledge of the antenna characteristics, it is possible to calculate attitude and descent profile of the Philae lander during descent, using the data of the line-of-sight propagation path and the echoes reflected from the comet's surface.