The European Space Agency (ESA) announced Tuesday that its historic comet-chasing mission Rosetta had been extended until the end of September 2016.

"ESA's Science Programme Committee has given formal approval to continue the mission for an additional nine months," ESA said, adding that in a final flourish, Rosetta may be "landed" on 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the comet it has been following.