Scientists have announced the site where a spacecraft will attempt the first landing on a comet.

In November, the European Space Agency spacecraft Rosetta will lower its 100-kilogram lander Philae onto the surface of Comet-67P at a site known simply as "J".

Warwick Holmes, an Australian avionics engineer who helped build Rosetta, said the location, on the smaller "head" of the icy mass, was selected out of five preliminary sites chosen in late August.

"Landing site J was voted as the favourite site by the majority of Rosetta scientists," he said.

"It has the best combination of sun illumination, radio coverage to Rosetta, interesting science targets and has the minimum area of surface slopes greater than 30 degrees."