Philae began his evidence, but can be turned off in hours – Diario de Navarra

The module Philae has started their experiments on the surface of the Comet 67 / P Churyumov-Gerasimenko, but the next results may not reach the Earth because their batteries may run in the coming hours and panels do not get enough sunlight.

The team from the European Space Agency (ESA) appeared on Friday to provide the latest details of the mission, hoping to keep a new contact with the module shortly before midnight when the batteries have enough power to transmit data.

“If we do not receive data is very likely that the batteries are exhausted, “admitted the director of Philae mission, Stefan Ulamec ,” or has fallen over an asteroid, “joked below.

Still, he said, should not spread disappointment and forget that it has achieved a historical “success” to reach a comet.

Scientists have confirmed that they are still trying to locate the precise location of the module, which bounced twice and not landed where planned .

In that place would have had seven hours of sunlight a day that would have allowed him to charge the batteries, but now, according to recent data, a panel only receives an hour and twenty minutes of light and the other twenty to thirty minutes.

If you contact this evening, goal is try slightly rotating panels to redirect, even if the operation is not yet decided.

Although Philae is off, the data from their experiments shall be stored in the module and can not ruled that it can be reactivated in the future if it gets enough sunlight.

As explained Valentina Lommats from the control center of the landing, thanks to the rotation of the comet Philae could, for example, getting enough sunlight in the month of August and “awakening”, if you have not covered in too much dust.

During the night the two of Philae began their experiments, the sensors must be activated study the density and thermal and mechanical properties of the surface of comet (MUPUS its acronym in English) and start the APXS spectrometer, which should detect alpha particles and X-rays to gather information on the elemental composition of the surface.