Piezoelectric Composite Transducers, Ultrasonic Materials Characterization, and the Rosetta Comet Mission

In 2003 the ROSETTA space mission to Comet 46P/Wirtanen will be launched by the European Space Agency (ESA). On board of the spacecraft will be a lander in order to carry out measurements on the comet surface. The sol-called CASSE experiment aims to investigate the surface of the comet by transmitting, receiving and passively monitoring acoustic waves at frequencies from a few hundred to several kilohertz. The knowledge of the IZFP in modeling of NDT problems, in wave propagation in Complex materials, and in the design of advanced transducers eventually led to its involvement in the ROSETTA mission.