Rosetta prepares for Philae probe landing

[UM-Bot]

ESA officials have reported that everything is on schedule for the probe's attempted landing tomorrow.

The European Space Agency's Rosetta probe made history back in August when it became the first ever spacecraft to orbit a comet.

Read More: http://www.unexplain...e-probe-landing

[seeder]

Best of luck for Rosetta pulling this off

[DemonicCupcake]

I'm so excited. What we find on this comet has the potential to be life changing.

[+DieChecker]

Good luck. Make sure those English units to Metric units conversions are all correct.

[toast]

This will be a very exciting 12NOV!

Watch ESA lifestream here : http://new.livestream.com/esa/cometlanding

On Space.com here: http://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html

On EarthSky here: http://earthsky.org/space/watch-wednesdays-comet-landing-live-online

Darlin' darlin' darlin'

I can't wait to see you

Your picture ain't enough

I can't wait to touch you in the flesh

- Blondie -

[paperdyer]

Will the comet sue for harassment? First Rosie circles him and follows him around. Now she's going to poke holes in him and build on him. What a law suit pending! :innocent:

[bison]

One serious problem with the landing: it was assumed that the comet nucleus would have a smooth, rounded surface, rather like a potato. In fact, it is quite rough, even fantastically jagged in places.

They did their best to pick the smoothest terrain available for the landing, but even this area is strewn with boulders and cliffs. They will have very little margin for error. The Philae lander can not be maneuvered once it leaves Rosetta, it will not even be possible to know if it is headed for safe, stable terrain during its protracted, 7 hour descent.

This is not written to be discouraging , but to point up what a great achievement it will be, if they can bring off this landing successfully.

The Philae lander will come to rest near the edge of a large circular feature on the smaller of two lobes of the comet's nucleus, generally called the 'head'. This feature is roughly opposite the narrow 'neck' region, which connects the 'head' to the larger lobe of the nucleus, usually referred to as the 'body'.

It will be interesting to learn if Philae will be able to view this basin, which has been called 'crater-like' by the scientists in charge of this project, or help define its nature.

Edited November 11, 2014 by bison

[Sundew]

Well, let's hope it makes it safely to the surface, it would be more than a shame to come so far and only complete part of the mission and who knows what may be learned? If this comet is one that gets close enough in its orbit to the sun to begin evaporating that would be something quite interesting to see close up in real time.

[skookum]

It will be amazing if successful, but I will be very understanding if it doesn't.

I will have everything crossed until we have word. I don't want to jump the gun as I cannot wait for the HD pictures if all goes to plan.

[+DieChecker]

The article says that it will fire lines into the ground as anchors when it lands. They could have fired a harpoon into the comet and reeled itself in with a lot less chance of failure. But, then the cable would have taken up a lot of space.

[DONTEATUS]

Die-checker got it bang on ! "Lander to Ground come in ----- Was that Pull up at three feet ,or was that At Three meters ? "------------------------------Come in Lander ! Come In Please!

Well I guess It tried to Pull up at three feet instead of meters like we programed him to !

Any Ideas Ground ?

[Jacques Terreur]

this is really exciting stuff. I saw a report last night where the involved scientists said that the landing is the "icing on the cake". They already gathered a lot of useful data, but of course the landing attempt is unprecedented. It was a bit funny to hear them talk about about the "rubber duck shaped comet" and the "washing machine sized probe".....

So hopefully we all witness the successful landing of a washing machine on a rubber ducky in space!!

Another useful side effect: if the team manages to really pull this off, this is something to rub in the faces of all the people

who ever doubted the moon landing....

[toast]

Rosetta and Philae separation confirmed. The Philae lander has separated from the Rosetta orbiter, and is now

on its way to becoming the first spacecraft to touch down on a comet. Separation was confirmed at ESA’s Space Operation Centre, ESOC, in Darmstadt, Germany at 09:03 GMT / 10:03 CET.

It takes the radio signals from the transmitter on Rosetta 28 minutes and 20 seconds to reach Earth, so separation actually occurred in space at 08:35 GMT / 09:35 CET.

The first signal from Philae is expected in around two hours, when the lander establishes a communication link

with Rosetta. Philae cannot send its data to Earth directly – it must do it via Rosetta.

http://blogs.esa.int...tion-confirmed/

What does Philae do during descent? Credit: ESA/ATG medialab

Edited November 12, 2014 by toast

[seeder]

The song of Rosetta, amazing sound the comet makes, do listen

The Rosetta comet is singing: as the orbiter approaches, the ESA uploads audio of the comet's warbling magnetic 'song'

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-rosetta-comet-is-singing-as-the-orbiter-approaches-the-esa-uploads-audio-of-the-comets-warbling-magnetic-song-9854229.html

[Jacques Terreur]

this is so cool, my wife and i listened to that for at least 15 minutes last night. This is made for being sampled in a song!

[seeder]

The article says that it will fire lines into the ground as anchors when it lands. They could have fired a harpoon into the comet and reeled itself in with a lot less chance of failure. But, then the cable would have taken up a lot of space.

It will fire 2 harpoons, and then the ice screws will bolt it down if all goes well, Im not sure if the harpoons will reel it tho..

[toast]

The song of Rosetta, amazing sound the comet makes, do listen

Ripley: Ash, that transmission... Mother's deciphered part of it. It doesn't look like an S.O.S. :

Ash: What is it, then?

Ripley: Well, I... it looks like a warning. I'm gonna go out after them.

Ash: What's the point? I mean by the, the time it takes to get there, you'll... they'll know if it's a warning or not, yes?

(Dialogue from the movie Alien)

Edited November 12, 2014 by toast

[toast]

As per ESA :

radio transmission connection between ROSETTA and PHILAE has been established and is working well + landing gear

has been deployed successfully.

:tu:

[maximusnow]

It should of made impact at 0830 EST. We are waiting for a report...almost 11:30, good to be alive!

[quiXilver]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-rosetta-comet-is-singing-as-the-orbiter-approaches-the-esa-uploads-audio-of-the-comets-warbling-magnetic-song-9854229.html

It's not the comet that's singing... it's the insects inside...

[bison]

One report is concerning. The small thrusters on the Philae lander do not appear ready to function. These were intended to prevent the lander from rebounding from the surface of the comet, at the moment of contact. The comet nucleus has so little gravity that this is a real concern. There would be no way to control the lander if it bounced away from the surface. About 20 minutes, now, before we learn if the lander has successfully settled onto the surface.

Edited November 12, 2014 by bison

[Jacques Terreur]

i saw applause on the livestream!!! i think they bloody did it!!!!

edit: yes, the just confirmed! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Edited November 12, 2014 by Jacques Terreur

[toast]

Touchdown!

Harpoons fixed!

And Philae speaks!

[Karasu]

Touchdown!

Harpoons fixed!

And Philae speaks!

NAILED IT!

[Merc14]

Amazing! What an accomplishment! Well done ESA. First images from the surface are due at about 12:45 PM EST in the USA or 5:45 PM UTC.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Merc14