Probe lands on comet in space first

Published November 12, 2014
A picture shows a model of the European Space Agency's (ESA) robot craft Philae at the Cite de l'espace (Space City) in Toulouse, southern France. -AFP Photo
A picture shows a model of the European Space Agency's (ESA) robot craft Philae at the Cite de l'espace (Space City) in Toulouse, southern France. -AFP Photo

DARMSTADT: The European probe Philae has made the first-ever landing on a comet, a crowning phase in a quest to explore the origins of the Solar System, the European Space Agency (ESA) said Wednesday.

The robot lab landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko around seven hours after separating from its mother ship Rosetta more than 510 million kilometres (320 million miles) from Earth, it said.

“Philae is talking to us,” said Stephan Ulamec, the lander's manager.

“We are on the comet.”

“We definitely confirm that the lander is on the surface,” said Andrea Accomazzo, flight operations director.

“We can't be happier than what we we are now. “

Journalists film near a giant screen featuring Andrea Accomazzo (C), Rosetta flight operations director celebrating with European Space Agency (ESA) scientists after the announcement of the first-ever landing on a comet. -AFP Photo
Journalists film near a giant screen featuring Andrea Accomazzo (C), Rosetta flight operations director celebrating with European Space Agency (ESA) scientists after the announcement of the first-ever landing on a comet. -AFP Photo

“This is a big step for human civilization,” said the agency's director general, Jean-Jacques Dordain, as a crowd of scientists, guests and VIPs cheered and applauded in relief.

“Touchdown! My new address: 67P!,” Philae's team tweeted.

Scientists hope the lander, equipped with 10 instruments, will unlock the secrets of comets, primordial clusters of ice and dust that may have helped sow life on Earth.

Getting from Earth to a comet that is travelling towards the Sun at 18 kilometres per second (11 miles per second) was a landmark in space engineering and celestial mathematics.

The 1.3-billion-euro ($1.6-billion) Rosetta mission was approved in 1993.

Rosetta, carrying Philae, was hoisted into space in 2004, and took more than a decade to reach its target in August this year, having used the gravitational pull of Earth and Mars as slingshots to build up speed.

The pair covered 6.5 billion km together before the separation Wednesday prior to the landing.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.