Philae probe is set to make the first-ever landing on a comet

[Martin]

On 12 November, Rosetta’s Philae probe is set to make the first-ever landing on a comet when it touches down on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

Exciting stuff.

www.esa.int

[Peter Harris]

Martin

I just watched the live TV speeches by the participants, what a wonderful story.

Lots of hard work and it seems international collaboration over many years - well done all concerned - hope to hear more about the knowledge we gain from this - apart from what we have already learned by getting there.

Regards

Peter

[Dave H]

Nice to see collaboration instead of conflict, long may it last for the benefit of all.

[noel]

I was listening to it live on radio when one of the presenters asked one of the daftest questions "how will it get back". Probably rates alongside Will Young when he was unknown and appearing on the show that would make him famous " do you have a girl friend".

[Peter Harris]

It must be very efficient getting there and back on a single tank of petrol............................because there are no service stations out there

[wellfield]

It is just a glorified copy of the Top Gear stunt when a helicopter was landed on a moving car

[noel]

I think it's died?

[Martin]

It's just sleeping until it gets more light

[anacortesdamp]

Unfortunately, according to US news sources, the probe mistakenly landed on the dark side of the comet and will never get any sunshine. The batteries are already dead and won't get solar power to revive.

A lot of money for 30 hours of exploration.


Frank

[Martin]

The good news is that the probe has pretty much done what it supposed to. It landed in the correct place but the harpoons failed to go off. It then bounced about 1/2 a mile and came to rest near a cliff but ended up on it's side.

Quote:Engineers did manage to maximise the possibility of it happening, though, by sending a command to reorientate the lander.

This involved raising Philae by 4cm and rotating its main housing by 35%. This will ensure the largest solar panel catches the most light.

Prof Mark McCaughrean, Esa's senior scientific advisor, told the BBC that the agency was "hugely happy".

"All of the science instruments on board have done all the work they were supposed to do, so we have huge amounts of data back on the ground now, which is really exciting," he said.

bbc.co.uk