Philae spacecraft lands on comet
Posted: Thu, Nov 13, 2014, 10:09 AM ET (1509 GMT)
A European spacecraft landed on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko Wednesday, but bounced at least twice before coming to a rest. The Philae spacecraft separated from the Rosetta spacecraft at 4:03 am EST (0903 GMT) and touched down on the surface of the comet's nucleus at 11:02 am EST (1602 GMT). Project officials later said that data suggested the lander's harpoons, designed to secure the lander on the surface, did not deploy. Later data indicated that the lander bounced twice, the first taking the lander up to a kilometer above the surface. Philae may be resting at an angle, or even on its side, about a kilometer from the landing site. The spacecraft is communicating with Rosetta, and has transmitted some images and other data.
A European spacecraft landed on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko Wednesday, but bounced at least twice before coming to a rest. The Philae spacecraft separated from the Rosetta spacecraft at 4:03 am EST (0903 GMT) and touched down on the surface of the comet's nucleus at 11:02 am EST (1602 GMT). Project officials later said that data suggested the lander's harpoons, designed to secure the lander on the surface, did not deploy. Later data indicated that the lander bounced twice, the first taking the lander up to a kilometer above the surface. Philae may be resting at an angle, or even on its side, about a kilometer from the landing site. The spacecraft is communicating with Rosetta, and has transmitted some images and other data.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Friday, August 14
Intuitive Machines Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results; Continues Record Backlog Expansion With Quarter-end Backlog of $1.8 Billion
GlobeNewswire — 6:07 am ET (1007 GMT) Intuitive Machines Lunar Communication Satellite Launch Plans Change
Aviation Week — 6:06 am ET (1006 GMT) Firefly Aerospace Awarded Contract to Design Elytra Deorbit System for Defense Innovation Unit
Firefly Aerospace — 6:05 am ET (1005 GMT) Cruise control: the team guiding Hera to its asteroid
ESA — 6:05 am ET (1005 GMT) SpaceX plans another multimillion-dollar expansion in Bastrop
Austin (TX) American-Statesman — 6:03 am ET (1003 GMT) |
