Philae lander released from Rosetta
Posted: Wed, Nov 12, 2014, 8:00 AM ET (1300 GMT)
ESA's Philae lander spacecraft has separated from the Rosetta orbiter en route to a landing on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko later Wednesday. ESA received signals confirming that the small lander, weighing about 100 kilograms, separated from the larger Rosetta spacecraft at 4:03 am EST (0903 GMT); there is a 28-minute delay in the arrival of the signals given the spacecraft's distance from Earth. Philae will slowly descend towards the comet, with a landing planned shortly after 11:00 am EST (1600 GMT). Project managers went ahead with the landing despite a problem with a cold gas propulsion system on the lander designed to prevent any rebound upon landing on the nucleus, given the comet's weak gravity. The lander will have to rely on harpoons to secure itself on the comet's nucleus upon landing.
ESA's Philae lander spacecraft has separated from the Rosetta orbiter en route to a landing on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko later Wednesday. ESA received signals confirming that the small lander, weighing about 100 kilograms, separated from the larger Rosetta spacecraft at 4:03 am EST (0903 GMT); there is a 28-minute delay in the arrival of the signals given the spacecraft's distance from Earth. Philae will slowly descend towards the comet, with a landing planned shortly after 11:00 am EST (1600 GMT). Project managers went ahead with the landing despite a problem with a cold gas propulsion system on the lander designed to prevent any rebound upon landing on the nucleus, given the comet's weak gravity. The lander will have to rely on harpoons to secure itself on the comet's nucleus upon landing.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, September 3
The BepiColombo mission begins its arrival at Mercury after nearly 8 years
CNN — 7:23 am ET (1123 GMT) One Year In, U.S. Space Command Headquarters Relocation Moving Expeditiously to 'Rocket City, USA'
US Dept. of Defense — 7:21 am ET (1121 GMT) Blue Origin breaks ground on new Canaveral facility ordered up by Space Force
Orlando Sentinel — 7:21 am ET (1121 GMT) Construction of British deep space radar to begin in 2027
UK Defence Journal — 7:21 am ET (1121 GMT) Blue Origin Beats Rocket Lab, Wins $700 Million Mars Communications Contract
Investor's Business Daily — 7:19 am ET (1119 GMT) |
