PARIS - Europe's Rosetta comet chaser is poised to swing by Earth for the last time this week before heading out on the final leg of its 10-year journey to the comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

The swingby, set for Nov. 13 at 8:45 a.m. Central European Time, will be the last of four planetary assists (including three around Earth) intended to provide the boost needed to continue into the outer solar system, where the rendezvous will take place.

The probe, built by EADS Astrium, will overfly the Earth just south of Java at an altitude of barely 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) and then accelerate to nearly 13,000 kph as it swings away from Earth. The assist will boost the speed of the spacecraft, which has flown some 4.5 billion kilometers since its launch in March 2004, to 61,000 kph.

After a close encounter with the asteroid 21 Lutetia in July 2010, Rosetta will go back into hibernation until January 2014, when it will begin its approach to Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The rendezvous is set for May 2014. Rosetta conducted a flyby of the asteroid Steins in September 2008.

During the mission, which will last a full year, the probe will offload a small lander, Philae, to study the comet's surface. The chemical composition of comets, which have changed little since their formation billions of years ago, is considered vital to scientists' understanding of the early solar system.

Artist's concept of Rosetta: EADS Astrium