{"id":19225,"date":"2016-09-30T17:17:46","date_gmt":"2016-09-30T09:17:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/farewell-rosetta-europes-mission-to-a-comet-ends-with-a-bittersweet-bang\/"},"modified":"2016-09-30T17:17:46","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T09:17:46","slug":"farewell-rosetta-europes-mission-to-a-comet-ends-with-a-bittersweet-bang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/farewell-rosetta-europes-mission-to-a-comet-ends-with-a-bittersweet-bang\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Farewell, Rosetta\u2019: Europe\u2019s mission to a comet ends with a bittersweet bang"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_278700\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-278700\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full-width wp-image-278700\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/160930-rosetta-mission-630x349.jpg\" alt=\"Rosetta cartoon\" width=\"630\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/160930-rosetta-mission-630x349.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/160930-rosetta-mission-768x425.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/160930-rosetta-mission-1240x687.jpg 1240w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/160930-rosetta-mission.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"caption-attachment-278700\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Rosetta probe inspired a series of kid-friendly cartoons. (Credit: ESA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The European Space Agency\u2019s Rosetta probe today descended to a mission-ending impact on the comet&nbsp;that&nbsp;it followed for more than two years.<\/p>\n<p>The car-sized probe continued to transmit data as it dove toward the surface of Comet 67P\/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, 446 million miles from Earth. When the data stream flatlined, scientists and engineers at ESA\u2019s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, knew it was all over.<\/p>\n<p>The end was greeted at 1:19 p.m. CEST (4:19 a.m. PT)&nbsp;with a prolonged \u201cOhhh,\u201d followed by applause and hugs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is it,\u201d said Rosetta mission manager Patrick Martin. \u201cI can announce the full success of this historic descent of Rosetta toward 67P, and I declare hereby the mission operations ended for Rosetta. \u2026 Farewell, Rosetta. You\u2019ve done the job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=781825922647355392&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2016%2Ffarewell-rosetta-europes-mission-to-a-comet-ends-with-a-bittersweet-bang%2F&amp;sessionId=7ae46f2870fda5f99e5db150d66e74ec240cb768&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"781825922647355392\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782804070143363817=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">From #67P with love: a last image, taken 51 metres before #CometLanding #MissionComplete https:\/\/t.co\/yiSnxDrnba pic.twitter.com\/MNuz622tNJ<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ESA Rosetta Mission (@ESA_Rosetta) September 30, 2016<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Rosetta, which was named after Egypt\u2019s famous Rosetta Stone, put more than 4&nbsp;billion miles on its odometer from start to finish.<\/p>\n<p>The $1.5 billion mission was launched in 2004 and required a decade of travel to get to the comet. Months after it entered a looping orbit around 67P, Rosetta sent down a piggyback probe called Philae to land on the surface and transmit data back.<\/p>\n<p>The hardware that was supposed to anchor Philae to its landing spot didn\u2019t work as intended. Instead, the solar-powered lander bounced along the surface, got stuck, and fell out of contact after just a couple of days. It wasn\u2019t until this month that Rosetta\u2019s team spotted the lander again, wedged in a crevice where it couldn\u2019t recharge its batteries.<\/p>\n<p>The tale of Rosetta and its plucky little lander captured hearts across the world, in part due to a series of cartoons worthy of a children\u2019s book.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"The Rosetta Legacy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hQNV4sZfYiQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-width=\"800\" data-height=\"450\" style=\"display: block; margin: 0px; width: 800px; height: 450px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Over the past two years, the readings from Rosetta and Philae have filled out scientists\u2019 picture of the comet\u2019s composition and what it says about the early history of the solar system. They determined that 67P consisted of two separate objects that fused together to create its \u201crubber ducky\u201d shape.<\/p>\n<p>Chemical analysis showed that the comet\u2019s frozen water didn\u2019t match the isotopic fingerprint of Earth\u2019s oceans. However, the ice was found to contain some of the ingredients for life, including an amino acid called glycine.<\/p>\n<p>Rosetta stuck by the comet through last year\u2019s&nbsp;closest approach to the sun, and captured spectacular pictures of gas and dust erupting from the surface as it heated up.<\/p>\n<p>However, as 67P&nbsp;receded back into the darkness, there was less sunlight to recharge Rosetta\u2019s batteries, and communication was expected to become increasingly difficult. ESA determined that today was the right time to bring the mission to an end.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_278699\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-278699\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full-width wp-image-278699\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/160930-rosetta-descent-630x508.jpg\" alt=\"Rosetta descent images\" width=\"630\" height=\"508\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/160930-rosetta-descent-630x508.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/160930-rosetta-descent.jpg 691w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"caption-attachment-278699\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Rosetta probe captured this series of images as it descended toward the surface of Comet 67P\/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from a distance of about 12 miles. (Credit: ESA \/ Rosetta \/ MPS for OSIRIS Team \/ MPS \/ UPD \/ LAM \/ IAA \/ SSO \/ INTA \/ UPM \/ DASP \/ IDA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After contact was lost, team members celebrated, and commiserated, at mission control in Darmstadt.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel very proud of our teams for pulling this off,\u201d Rolf Densing, ESA\u2019s director of operations and head of the European Space Operations Center, told his colleagues.<\/p>\n<p>He reminded them that ESA\u2019s Trace Gas Orbiter was due to reach Mars&nbsp;next month for a mission that would include sending a mini-probe called Schiaparelli to the Red Planet\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe best way to fight off depression is to look ahead,\u201d Densing said. \u201cThere\u2019s life beyond Rosetta. As great as it was, we will be back for a landing on Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Once upon a time... mission complete\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vcYo-qQ5HbA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-width=\"800\" data-height=\"450\" style=\"display: block; margin: 0px; width: 800px; height: 450px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Rosetta probe inspired a series of kid-friendly cartoons. (Credit: ESA) The European Space Agency\u2019s Rosetta probe today descended to a mission-ending impact on the comet&nbsp;that&nbsp;it followed for more than two years. The car-sized probe continued to transmit data as it dove toward the surface of Comet 67P\/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, 446 million miles from Earth. When the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2423,246,3609,3373],"class_list":["post-19225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-comets","tag-esa","tag-philae","tag-rosetta"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19225"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19225\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}