Rosetta, first spacecraft to land on a comet, launched 2004

Rosetta, launched March 2, 2004 by the European Space Agency, is the first spacecraft to orbit a comet and then deploy a lander. It reached comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in August 2014 and entered actual orbit in September.  The Philae lander detached from Rosetta in November and landed, bouncing twice before coming to a rest.

As the comet traveled further from the sun, light reaching the solar panels decreased.  A decision was made to end the mission by impacting Rosetta onto the comet surface. The impact maneuver began on September 29, 2016 and was completed the next day.

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.

Rosetta spacecraft's mission has ended

One of the last images of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko taken by Rosetta

The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft has ended its mission with an impact on the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Rosetta was launched in 2004 and reached the comet August 2014.  Two months later, Rosetta deployed Philae, the small lander, which made an unceremonious landing on the comet.  It took the first pictures ever of the surface of a comet.

ESA decided not to continue Rosetta's mission as the comet heads out beyond the orbit of Jupiter.  For one, the sun will be in the line of sight between Earth and Rosetta, making communications with the spacecraft difficult.  Also, there would be little power to operate the spacecraft.

The mission has been considered a major success.