The ‘Philae’ probe made three landings in the comet bouncing two … – HOME

Photograph of Comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko Philae taken by the probe during its descent. / AFP

Not one, not two times (as already suspected responsible for the mission), but three times on Wednesday landed spacecraft Philae on the surface of comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko, more than 500 million miles from Earth . After the first contact with the ground, the robot Philae bounced, jumped traveling a mile, came to rest on the ground and bounced once more in a smaller jump. “We are not yet sure where we are,” said Stephan Ulamec, head of Philae. The experts have reconstructed this rugged robot unexpected arrival of the comet analyzing the data they have received. “Maybe we’re on the edge this crater,” said Ulamet on a photograph taken by the probe Rosetta and joked about the place that seems to be one of the alternatives that were studied areas for landing, although then chose the first contact. And the operation was so accurate that the Philae , arrived at the first landing practically at the center of the area defined for the fall.

The probe is in shadow and its solar panels do not receive enough energy, so it is working with its primary batteries. But it is working and sending scientific data, so the mission leaders remain enthusiastic about the success of this space maneuver, performed and achieved for the first time and is already considered historic. And one of its three legs in the air, or in space, not on the ground.

Since Wednesday, at 17.03 (CET Spanish) came to Earth landing signal Philae, triggering euphoria in those who were following the operation, data is being received from the lander (provided through the orbiter Rosetta with which arrived at 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko). Communication with Earth is not continuous because it is done through the Rosetta and the hidden several hours a day over the horizon of the comet. But with the received data, the heads of mission have found that solar panels do not load as expected, and not because they are damaged, but because the probe is quite shaded, ie, does not receive all the light from the Sun that would desirable. “This getting a half hour of sun a day, compared to the six hours needed to charge the batteries,” said Ulamec from the control center of the Philae, in the German space agency DLR in Cologne (Germany).

In ESOC also been made public the photos that have already been received and processed, including a panoramic reconstructed with several shots showing what the Philae has around. Appear earrings, a cliff … hence the suspicion that might be the edge of a crater.

“As we are not anchored to the ground [the harpoons of the probe should set it to reach the surface is not shot] have to be very careful when activating the scientific instruments are mechanical, but the others are working, “said Ulamec. So, one of those involved is designed to hole punch the comet’s surface, and sampling to analyze its composition. Has not yet made a final decision.

Data from instruments aboard the Philae is allowing rebuilding in a few hours what happened in the crash landing. “The signal we received [at 17.03] was the first landing, and then, as planned, the spacecraft passed the descent phase of the operation on the ground and started taking data,” explained Ulamec. “But he was not on the floor but jumping”.