Final answer:
In a mission to follow a comet or an asteroid, instruments like spectrometers, cameras, mass spectrometers, and gravimeters would be on board to collect data on composition, structure, and dynamics. These data are key to understanding the solar system's formation and potential Earth impacts or benefits.
Step-by-step explanation:
When designing a spacecraft to match course with a comet or an asteroid, including specific instruments is crucial for gathering data. This data will help understand the subject of study better. For a comet, instruments might include spectrometers to analyze the comet's composition, cameras for visual documentation, and mass spectrometers to study the dust and gases released. Through these, scientists seek to learn about the comet's structure, chemical composition, and potentially organic compounds that may hint at the origins of life on Earth.
In the case of matching course with an asteroid, similar instruments would be used, with the addition of a gravimeter to measure the asteroid's gravitational field, which can reveal details about its mass distribution and internal structure. The primary goal with asteroids is to understand their composition, orbit dynamics, and to assess their potential threat or resource value to Earth. Both missions provide invaluable data on solar system formation and evolution.