[bubbacluck]

...expedition to unravel the secrets of a mysterious 'mini' ice world – a comet.

At least from what I see in the photo, it looks more rock than ice. Is the ice underneath?

[Dallas59]

The surface of the nucleus is generally dry, dusty or rocky, suggesting that the ices are hidden beneath a surface crust several metres thick. In addition to the gases already mentioned, the nuclei contain a variety of organic compounds, which may include methanol, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, ethanol, and ethane and perhaps more complex molecules such as long-chain hydrocarbons and amino acids.