The European Space Agency said the Rosetta spacecraft has crash-landed on a comet after an historic 12 years spent chasing it across more than 6 billion kilometres of space.

Scientists at the control centre in Darmstadt clapped and hugged after screens showed the loss of signal as Rosetta touched down on the comet.

"Thank you Rosetta," ESA Director General Jan Woerner tweeted after the landing was confirmed.

Incredible view 1.2 km from the surface! #CometLanding https://t.co/BMzkfFMKp4 pic.twitter.com/N5riAfHxEV

— ESA Rosetta Mission (@ESA_Rosetta) September 30, 2016

Rosetta will remain crumpled and lifeless on the surface of the comet as the object, a chunk of ice and dust measuring 4.5km across, continues on circuits of the solar system.

The spacecraft is being crashed because the comet is heading so far from the sun that soon the craft's solar panels will not be able to generate enough power to keep it functioning.

Busy scanning my target #CometLanding region! pic.twitter.com/CYhEnl35TT

— ESA Rosetta Mission (@ESA_Rosetta) September 30, 2016

On November 12, 2014, the spacecraft deployed a tiny lander, Philae, which bounced on to the comet surface before coming to rest in a dark crevice.

Philae's exact location remained unknown until September 2 this year, when Rosetta detected the craft at a site on the comet's smaller lobe, later named Abydos.

All contact with Philae was lost in July after the space agency switched off Rosetta's radio link with the lander.