Spacewatch: ESA greenlights Comet Interceptor mission

Spacecraft will travel to an as-yet unidentified comet and map it in three dimensions

The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected a comet interceptor for the first of its new class of "fast" missions.

These must launch within eight years of selection and weigh less than 1,000kg so they can hitchhike into space on an already scheduled launch.