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On this day in space! Sept. 11, 1985: The International Cometary Explorer makes 1st comet flyby in history for NASA and Europe

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Space.com
On this day in space! Sept. 11, 1985: The International Cometary Explorer makes 1st comet flyby in history for NASA and EuropeWorldPing
Image via Space.com.

What happened

11, 1985, the International Cometary Explorer, or "ICE," became the first spacecraft to fly by a comet.

Key facts

  • 11, 1985, the International Cometary Explorer, or "ICE," became the first spacecraft to fly by a comet.
  • Reported by Space.com and published Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:00:00 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. 25 years ago, a NASA astronaut witnessed the tragic 9/11 attacks from space. Here's what he saw.

  2. 2 private spacecraft zoom within 650 feet of each other to showcase 'advanced capabilities' in orbit (photos)

  3. On this day in space! Sept. 11, 1985: The International Cometary Explorer makes 1st comet flyby in history for NASA and Europe

  4. Wavy alien dune fields stretch across Mars | Space photo of the day for Sept. 11, 2026

Sources

The original report was published by Space.com. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Space.com

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