‘Rosetta’ and you know where the comet will have to land – The World

A place called J, an area located in the smaller lobe of the comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko offers interesting formations and good lighting conditions, has been chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) to attempt the landing robot traveling aboard Rosetta , the space probe, after a decade traveling through space, entered the orbit of the celestial object last August. The selected site was announced during a press conference in Paris, which is being broadcast through the web and brought together leading scientists responsible for this multi-million dollar mission.

The 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the current temperature is estimated at about -70 ° C, consists of two lobes joined, with a shape that scientists compare to that of a rubber duck. On 25 August, ESA scientists announced an initial list of five potential sites for landing were designated with letters. The points B, I and J are in the smaller lobe; A and C are in the larger lobe. As they detailed, J was unanimously elected among scientists. The place called C, located in the body of the comet, will be the second option. The first list included who worked with a dozen possible sites.

None of the shortlisted sites 100% met all criteria set by the scientists so that, according to the scientist Fred Jansen said “there are risks.” As detailed, although J is the one most likely to landing November, October 12 will hold another meeting to evaluate the data that the spacecraft instruments collected so far and confirm if indeed held there this complex maneuver that has never been carried out.

Since mid-July ship Rosetta was approaching the comet, scientists have been studying its topography and characteristics from images and data provided by the sensor to choose the most favorable places for landing, originally scheduled for November 11 .

During the press conference, scientists have stressed difficulties in choosing a landing site and the challenges that still lie ahead, as the shape of the comet, which Stephan Ulamec been defined as “a beautiful but dramatically” poses many challenges from a technical point of view.

The letters indicate the five possible locations They were initially chosen for landing. ESA

However, scientists have not hesitated to call “complete success” part of the mission that has been developed so far. “We are flying at 55,000 miles per hour with a comet,” the researchers say.

Philae module will try to land on the comet’s surface to determine its composition. The researcher Jean-Pierre Bibring, meanwhile, said the exciting time when scientists are, and called it “revolution” knowledge Rosetta could bring about the origin of the planets. He explained that hope to determine what composition (minerals, gases, etc.) are comets, considered the bricks from which the Solar System formed.

What factors have intervened in the evolution of the planets? How special and unique is the Earth? Is life a generic process of cosmic evolution? “Of course this mission not going to answer all these questions, but some of them,” said Bibring.