Tag: Philae

  • Philae sends first image from comet

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    The first image from the surface of a comet! This picture from the Philae lander’s CIVA camera system confirm the probe is safely on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Credit: ESA/Rosetta/Philae/CIVA DARMSTADT, Germany — Europe’s Philae lander radioed home Thursday, sending the first picture from the surface of a comet hours after a dramatic descent…

  • Rosetta camera captures Philae’s descent to the comet

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Image: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA. Rosetta’s OSIRIS narrow-angle camera witnessed Philae’s descent to the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on 12 November. This animated gif comprises images captured between 10:24 and 14:24 GMT (onboard spacecraft time). More images showing Philae closer to the surface are still to be downloaded. Separation occurred onboard the spacecraft at…

  • European space probe makes first landing on a comet

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Philae’s descent imaging camera took this picture of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at a distance of 3 kilometers about one hour before touchdown. Credit: ESA/Rosetta/Philae/ROLIS/DLR DARMSTADT, Germany — After making history Wednesday as the first spacecraft to touch down on a comet, Europe’s Philae lander collected data on the rugged alien world’s environment and may have rebounded…

  • Comet landing is a “go” despite thruster problem

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    At the moment of touchdown on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, the landing gear will absorb the forces of landing while ice screws in each of the probe’s feet and a harpoon system will lock Philae to the surface. At the same time, a thruster on top of the lander was supposed to push it down to counteract…

  • Comet lander leaves mothership, returns farewell images

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Europe’s Philae lander — with its landing gear and instrument booms extended — is seen by Rosetta.Credit: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA DARMSTADT, Germany — Europe’s comet-bound Philae probe released from its Rosetta orbiter mothership Wednesday, and the two spacecraft snapped farewell photos as they went separate ways for the first time after a ten-year journey…

  • Video: Lander manager provides update on Philae status

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Stephan Ulamec, head of the Philae lander team at DLR, provides an update after touchdown on the comet. Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.

  • Video: Mission control celebrates separation as anxiety builds over landing

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Paolo Ferri, head of mission operations, describes the moment of relief when engineers confirmed the Philae comet lander separated from its Rosetta mothership. But anxiety is building over touchdown later Wednesday after telemetry data raised questions about the status of an important cold gas thruster designed to keep the lander from bouncing off the comet.…

  • Live coverage: Philae “falls asleep”

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    Mission Status Center Live coverage of the descent and landing of Europe’s Philae spacecraft on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.

  • Rosetta mission’s ‘ambition’ spotlighted in film

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    The European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission stars with Game of Thrones actor Aidan Gillan and actress Aisling Franciosi in a short film released recently to promote the spacecraft’s exploration of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Titled Ambition, the five-minute film was shot on location in Iceland in a partnership between ESA and Platige Image. “What is the key to…

  • Comet lander powered up after electronics glitch

    —

    by

    starpathwp-production
    in

    DARMSTADT, Germany — Europe’s Philae lander — still latched inside its mothership — has been activated and should be ready for release Wednesday to begin a daring first-ever descent to a comet, the mission’s flight director said Tuesday. The power-up of Philae is the first of several key milestones planned in the days leading up…