Philae lander Archives - Capital Berg

Rosetta’s Philae Lander Shuts Down Due to Battery Drain

November 17, 2014 By Marlene R. Litten

The Philae Lander has sent all the precious data to back the European Space Agency just before it ran out of power. This week Rosetta’s Philae accomplished a really historic touchdown comet 67P on the 12^th of November.

The lander stuck behind a shadow of the cliff from where it was unable to get enough light to recharge its system. Therefore, the batteries of the Rosetta’s comet lander drained after its long journey of nearly 57 hours.

On the other hand, the ESA informed that the lander is currently at an “idle mode”. Unfortunately, there are very less chances that the lander would be able to reinstate any time in future. The basic reason is the insufficient amount of sunlight that falls on the surface of the comet. Presently, the lander can only get 1.5 hours of the sunshine in the long time period of 12 hours.

On the other hand, a few of the ESA’s researchers are still hopeful that Philae would again begin its research soon. However, the last time the Space Agency contacted the spacecraft at 6:36 pm ET on the 4^th of November.

The scientists expect that the lander will run out of the battery on the weekend. Sadly, the event occurred a before the expectations of the experts.

The lander sent back all the incredible images to Earth before it went to sleep. However, the scientists hope that the recent data offers shed some light on regarding the creation of the solar system.

Comet Probe Provides Clues Regarding “The Origin of Life”

November 14, 2014 By Marlene R. Litten

Finally, the robotic Philae lander laid down on the surface of comet 67P67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The lander completes its long journey of nearly 10 years.

Earlier, numerous spacecraft had spent hours in the examination of comets from a high distance. However, not a single spacecraft positioned any research instrument onto a comet except the Philae lander. The scientists have not laid an eye on this time capsule before the Philae lander. Therefore, it was as if Philae fulfilled the dream of scientists to analyze a comet from such a short distance.

The Rosetta placed the instrument just 10 Km wary from the comet. The lander fascinates the scientists with the images and data of the comet. Every time it sends back a pack fully loaded with amazing photos and information about the comet. It certainly helped scientists in the examination of the rock beneath the foot of Rosetta.

In addition the robotic lander also gets a chance to study the gaseous matter that appears from the surface of the comet.

The entire data accumulated through the Philae lander shed light on the history of the solar system. Comets are generally considered as the most ancient blocks of the solar system. The information accumulated form Rosetta gave an insight about the part played by the comet in the formation of Earth.

Stanley Cowley, a planetary scientist informed that comets played a vital role in delivering Earth with the most basic element of life; water.

Moreover, the study revealed that the comet consists of simple organic molecules. These molecules provided Earth the material for the emergence of Life.

Recent Captured Snaps of Rosetta Comet Proven Good for 3D Printing

October 4, 2014 By Cliff Jenkins Scott

According to the reports revealed by BBC News, the ESA (European Space Agency) has out highly detailed pictures of the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The images are available at .wrl and .obj files from the ESA site. However, these high resolution pictures help people with a proper software and a 3D printer to formulate a physical model of the comet.

Moreover, the images also endow with the most accurate estimates of 67P’s genuine dimensions. The previous reports revealed that, the comet is about 4kms in diameter. But, now with the help of recent images, we can clearly see the dimensions equaling 2.5 km by 2.5 km by 2.0 km for the head, which is smaller of the comet’s two lobes, and 4.1 km by 3.2 km by 1.3 km for the body, the bigger lobe.

As per the reports of earlier studies, the mass of the comet equals to 10mn tons and having the density of 400kgs per cubic meter. The comet completes one rotation every 12.4043 hours and the comet’s surface temperature is between -68 C and -43 C, whereas the subsurface temperature is around -243 C and -113 C. Rosetta has spotted water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, and methanol, all in gaseous form, on the comet.

More information concerning Comet 67P will possibly include its albido, which is the amount of light it reflects and getting more high-resolution pictures captured with the help of Rosetta OSIRIS camera.

Certainly, Rosetta appointed with the Comet 67P in August. And right now both are 464mn-kms from Earth. After that, the main occasion in Rosetta’s stopover, associating Comet 67P as it moves deeper into the solar system, will be the exploitation of the Philae lander. As per the official reports, Philae will detach from Rosetta on Nov 12^th and stab to land on the comet’s head in a plan enduring around 7 hours.

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