Philae (comet lander): Difference between revisions
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'''''Philae''''' is a [[European Space Agency]] device<ref>''ESA'': '[http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/The_Rosetta_lander The Rosetta lander]'. 16th January 2014.</ref> which landed on the [[comet nucleus|nucleus of a comet]] on 12th November 2014, the first time in history that this had been achieved. ''Philae'' initially bounced off the surface, ultimately coming to rest in a position that did not allow enough [[sunlight]] to reach its [[solar panels]], so ceased sending back data after three days, when its [[battery|batteries]] ran out.<ref>''ESA Rosetta Blog:'' '[http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/11/15/our-landers-asleep/ Our lander's asleep]'. 15th November 2014.</ref> Its harpoons and screws also failed to anchor it to the surface, which was much harder than expected.<ref>''ESA Rosetta Blog:'' '[http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/11/18/philae-settles-in-dust-covered-ice/ Philae settles in dust-covered ice]'. 18th November 2014.</ref> | '''''Philae''''' is a [[European Space Agency]] device<ref>''ESA'': '[http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/The_Rosetta_lander The Rosetta lander]'. 16th January 2014.</ref> which landed on the [[comet nucleus|nucleus of a comet]] on 12th November 2014, the first time in history that this had been achieved. ''Philae'' initially bounced off the surface, ultimately coming to rest in a position that did not allow enough [[sunlight]] to reach its [[solar panels]], so ceased sending back data after three days, when its [[battery|batteries]] ran out.<ref>''ESA Rosetta Blog:'' '[http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/11/15/our-landers-asleep/ Our lander's asleep]'. 15th November 2014.</ref> Its harpoons and screws also failed to anchor it to the surface, which was much harder than expected.<ref>''ESA Rosetta Blog:'' '[http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/11/18/philae-settles-in-dust-covered-ice/ Philae settles in dust-covered ice]'. 18th November 2014.</ref> | ||
Revision as of 14:07, 10 December 2014
This article is about the spacecraft. For other uses of the term Philae, please see Philae (disambiguation).
Philae is a European Space Agency device[1] which landed on the nucleus of a comet on 12th November 2014, the first time in history that this had been achieved. Philae initially bounced off the surface, ultimately coming to rest in a position that did not allow enough sunlight to reach its solar panels, so ceased sending back data after three days, when its batteries ran out.[2] Its harpoons and screws also failed to anchor it to the surface, which was much harder than expected.[3]
As part of a wider mission to investigate comet activity, Philae was launched on 2nd March 2004 with the Rosetta spacecraft, which took up a position in orbit of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko prior to releasing the lander.
Footnotes
- ↑ ESA: 'The Rosetta lander'. 16th January 2014.
- ↑ ESA Rosetta Blog: 'Our lander's asleep'. 15th November 2014.
- ↑ ESA Rosetta Blog: 'Philae settles in dust-covered ice'. 18th November 2014.