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.
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