15 October 2014
ESA has given the green light for its Rosetta mission to deliver its lander, Philae, to the primary site on 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko on 12 November, in the first-ever attempt at a soft touchdown on a comet.
Philae's landing site, currently known as Site J and located on the smaller of the comet's two 'lobes', was confirmed on 14 October following a comprehensive readiness review.
Since the arrival, the mission has been conducting an unprecedented survey and scientific analysis of the comet, a remnant of the early phases of the Solar System's 4.6 billion-year history.
At the same time, Rosetta has been moving closer to the comet: starting at 100 km on 6 August, it is now just 10 km from the centre of the 4 km-wide body. This allowed a more detailed look at the primary and backup landing sites in order to complete a hazard assessment, including a detailed boulder census.
The decision that the mission is 'Go' for Site J also confirms the timeline of events leading up to the landing.
Full article here: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/ESA_confirms_the_primary_landing_site_for_Rosetta (http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/ESA_confirms_the_primary_landing_site_for_Rosetta)
Satellite is now only like 8 km from the surface getting fantastic photographs. If you love science you need to look at these photos
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http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/10271850-a-feast-of-comet-features.html (http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/10271850-a-feast-of-comet-features.html)
Saw these, they are unbelievable!
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5608/15774234245_265a15c13b_b.jpg)
The first photo image from the surface of a comet shows the tiny lander Philae perched in the shadows of a cliff, complicating operation of solar panels needed to keep instruments working, the European Space Agency said Thursday.
The photos show one of Philae's three legs resting on bleak rocky terrain of the comet known as 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenkohas.
The images, relayed through the orbiting mother ship Rosetta, offered a stunning look from the surface of the comet that is speeding through the universe at more than 80,000 mph.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/11/13/comet-probe-rosetta-philae/18956763/ (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/11/13/comet-probe-rosetta-philae/18956763/)
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And of course, the first conspiracy theory, 67P is an alien comet! 67P is not a comet but alien object kept secret by Nasa and European Space Agency
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/nov/13/philae-comet-lander-alien-cover-up-conspiracy-theories-emerge (http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/nov/13/philae-comet-lander-alien-cover-up-conspiracy-theories-emerge)
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Very cool stuff! So other worldly. :)
Two legs on the surface and craft pressed against a cliff?
- I read it may be laying on it's side.