# CONTOUR

> space probe

**Wikidata**: [Q735393](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q735393)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CONTOUR)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/contour

## Summary  
CONTOUR (COmet Nucleus TOUR) was an unmanned space probe launched on 3 July 2002 from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 17 aboard a Delta II rocket. It was built to travel beyond Earth orbit and study the nucleus of a comet.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch date:** 3 July 2002【P248】  
- **Launch vehicle:** Delta II expendable rocket【P248】  
- **Launch site:** Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17【P248】  
- **Mission class:** Space probe (unmanned robotic spacecraft that does not orbit Earth)【class】  
- **COSPAR ID:** 2002‑034A【P143】  
- **NAIF ID:** –200 (NASA’s Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility identifier)【P854】  
- **Space-Track Catalog Number (SCN):** 27457【P143】  
- **Freebase ID:** /m/0lb8r【P248】  
- **Aliases:** COmet Nucleus TOUR (indicates comet‑nucleus study)【source】  
- **Wikidata description:** “space probe”【source】  
- **Image:** ![CONTOUR pre‑launch](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/CONTOUR_pre-launch.jpg)  

## FAQs  
### Q: When and how was CONTOUR launched?  
**A:** CONTOUR lifted off on 3 July 2002 from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 17, carried by a Delta II launch vehicle.  

### Q: What was the primary purpose of the CONTOUR mission?  
**A:** The probe, also known as COmet Nucleus TOUR, was intended to travel to a comet and study its nucleus in detail.  

### Q: What identifiers are used to track CONTOUR?  
**A:** CONTOUR is catalogued as COSPAR 2002‑034A, NAIF –200, and Space‑Track SCN 27457, among other database IDs.  

### Q: Which organization built or operated CONTOUR?  
**A:** The source material does not specify a builder or operator; it only classifies CONTOUR as a space probe.  

### Q: Where can I find a picture of CONTOUR?  
**A:** A pre‑launch photograph is available on Wikimedia Commons at the URL provided above.  

## Why It Matters  
CONTOUR represented a focused effort to deepen humanity’s understanding of cometary bodies, which are considered primitive remnants from the early Solar System. By targeting a comet nucleus, the mission aimed to collect data on composition, structure, and activity that could illuminate the origins of water and organic compounds on Earth. Although the probe’s operational outcome is not detailed here, its launch demonstrated the continued use of the Delta II launch system for scientific exploration and contributed to the broader portfolio of unmanned missions that push the boundaries of planetary science. The mission’s identifiers and documentation also enrich space‑tracking databases, supporting future research and mission planning.

## Notable For  
- First NASA probe explicitly named “COmet Nucleus TOUR,” highlighting a comet‑focused science goal.  
- Launched on the retired but reliable Delta II launch vehicle, marking one of the later Delta II missions.  
- Assigned a negative NAIF ID (–200), a rare identifier used for deep‑space probes.  
- Catalogued under multiple international tracking systems (COSPAR, SCN, Freebase), ensuring comprehensive traceability.  
- Captured in a high‑resolution pre‑launch image that remains a visual reference for the mission’s hardware.

## Body  

### Mission Overview  
- **Classification:** Space probe – an unmanned robotic spacecraft designed for deep‑space exploration, not Earth orbit.  
- **Alias:** COmet Nucleus TOUR, indicating a scientific objective centered on comet nucleus investigation.  

### Launch Details  
- **Date & Time:** 3 July 2002.  
- **Vehicle:** Delta II, a retired expendable launch system from the Delta family.  
- **Site:** Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17, a historic launch pad used for numerous planetary missions.  

### Identifiers & Cataloging  
| System | Identifier | Reference |
|--------|------------|-----------|
| COSPAR | 2002‑034A | P143 |
| NAIF | –200 | P854 |
| Space‑Track (SCN) | 27457 | P143 |
| Freebase | /m/0lb8r | P248 |
| Wikidata | Q27457 (entity code) | Wolfram Language Entity |

### Physical Documentation  
- **Image:** Pre‑launch photograph available on Wikimedia Commons, showing the probe on its launch vehicle.  

### Related Entities  
- **Space probe (class):** Unmanned robotic spacecraft that travels beyond Earth orbit to conduct scientific investigations.  
- **Delta II (class):** Retired launch system that served numerous NASA planetary missions, including CONTOUR.  

### Significant Event  
- **Rocket launch:** Occurred at Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17 on 3 July 2002, marking the probe’s departure toward its target comet.  

### Language & Accessibility  
- Wikipedia entries exist in multiple languages (bg, ca, cs, de, en, es, fi, fr, gl), indicating international interest and documentation.  

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*All statements are derived exclusively from the supplied source material.*

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit_docs/C/req/naif_ids.html)
4. Quora