Rosetta and its comet are getting close to a major milestone - here's what we know about the mission so far

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ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM

There are more than 4,000 known comets in the solar system, but there's one we understand more than the rest, thanks to the European Space Agency's ongoing Rosetta mission.

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Right now, the Rosetta mission has a satellite in orbit around Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as well as a lander on its surface.

And this August the mission will hit a major milestone when the comet passes closest to the sun. This will be the first time a spacecraft and probe have been this close to a comet during its closest approach to the sun.

Here's a recap of the heroic mission, what it has taught us so far, and what we still hope to learn: