MADRID, 12 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Philae probe of the European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully landed on the comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This historic moment for the space sector and to Europe has occurred at 17.04 , the time has come confirmation of Philae to the Space Operations Center in Darmstadt (Germany).
culminates thus one of the most important parts of this mission, which began 10 years ago and the Rosetta spacecraft, commissioned to Philae move to the vicinity of the comet, has traveled over 500 million miles.
This Wednesday at 10.03 hours (CET Spanish), Philae separation was confirmed ship and the beginning of his way to rock. This event occurred 22 kilometers from 67P / Churiumov Gerasimenko. His speed in this decline has been about 18 inches per second, but the speed was increasing to meter per second along the way.
The venue for perching, dubbed Agilkia, was selected last September –among four puntos– their characteristics. As explained by the scientist in charge of the mission, Laurence O’Rourke, this place has a good light “needed to power probe to do their jobs “and a flat surface as well as a great scientific interest.
This is an area with cliffs and rocks 12 feet high, and a good combination of ice and dust on its surface. “It is an area with many challenges,” he noted.
However, on Tuesday, rocks and slopes of the area had become an ‘enemy’ of Philae, following a review of its ‘health’, presented a problem in the system of descent. The ESA said in a statement that the system that provides a push to prevent rebound when making contact with the comet, could not activate .
So, experts claimed that had to rely on the probe have barbs on their legs, and that they will cling to the surface “of 67P hard to avoid disaster.
AFTER LANDING
Philae has started working only part with Rosetta . The mission scientist, Miguel Perez Ayúcar, stated that on the way separating you from the rock would go checking the operation of the instruments of the apparatus. After two hours of their separation, the Earth received the first sign of Philae, confirming that their antennas were deployed, and a few hours later first picture.
has also been an image, in this case obtained by Rosetta (picture attached to the article) , the has allowed experts to see if the probe had spread its legs and antennae, indispensable to its landing.
Now, with harpoons anchored to the surface of the comet probe will continue to work, without waiting a minute. Their spears are also used to know the composition of the soil in which attaches Philae. Similarly, the instrument known as CONSERT help you understand the internal structure of the rock.
mission scientists are among the instruments owned by the probe, drill team which will delve into the crust of the comet with a depth of 20 inches . The material collected will be analyzed by other instruments held.
Perez Ayúcar explained that the probe “has instruments to detect life directly,” but it looks “chemical constituents” through which one can know “whether they are related to life as is now known,” as, for example, amino acids.
CONTACT EVERY 12 HOURS
As for the process of the study indicated that 67P / Churiumov Gerasimenko rotates every 12 hours, so that the probe is outside the scope of Rosetta –with communicating to send the data to the Tierra– for six hours, ie you have contact with Philae 12 hours a day.
Meanwhile, Philae can not move through the rock but if certain degree turn on itself, hence his work is based on the land on which perches. O’Rourke does not rule out finding “surprising” data because “it is the first time that something is done and it’s all new.”
The scientist has acknowledged that only in the approach to 67P / Churiumov Gerasimenko and have discovered many things that are not aware of this body, as the gas ejected from the surface or the land has a higher percentage of dust ice.
THREE MONTHS ON COMET
Philae preparations should be made for projects in following his landing, three months because the comet will get closer to the Sun, the maximum will occur in August 2015 and the device can not withstand the temperatures to which they will be exposed.
However, the ESA has extended the mission until December 2015 and Perez Ayúcar not rule that can be extended up 2016. In this sense, scientists have explained that “Philae is just icing on the cake” and Rosetta still has much to contribute up to become ‘space junk’ near Jupiter, when you can not collect enough energy Sun.
Since its launch 10 years ago, ESA has invested in this project 1,000 million. This is an initiative that will lead from the center ESOC in Germany, but the coordination of the scientific part is from the ESAC in Madrid center.
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