Saturday, November 12, 2022

Philae lands on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Geraskimenko 2014



Philae, the European Space Agency lander launched with the Rosetta spacecraft, landed on Comet 67/Churyumov-Geraskimenko November 12, 2014.  Unfortunately, the landing did not go as planned. The lander bounced upon landing and ended up on its side.  Much of its scientific equipment was rendered unusable, but scientists have been able to use the crash to their advantage.  The site of Philae had limited sunlight so its solar batteries could not be charged sufficiently.  Contact was lost on November 15.

On June 13, 2015, ground controllers received an 85-second transmission from Philae, forwarded by Rosetta which indicated the lander was in good health.  Its batteries had charged sufficiently to come out of safe mode.  The final communication came on July 9.  Afterwards mission controllers were not able to contact Philae with new investigations.  By January 2016, controllers determined that no further communications were likely.  

In September 2016, cameras on Rosetta located Philae on the surface of the comet.

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