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Rosetta Comet Probe Actually Landed Three Times

We Actually Landed On A Comet Three Times
Michael Rundle
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UPDATE: The BBC is reporting that the Philae lander is now "stable" and is sending back images to ESA. Until ESA makes an official statement we'll take that as a good sign.

The world of science was set alight on Wednesday after humanity landed on a comet for the first time.

Now it's waking up to find that we actually landed on it three times - by accident.

Problems with the Rosetta space craft's Philae lander - which are still being investigated by the European Space Agency - meant that the probe actually bounced at least once on reaching the surface.

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Above: the Philae lander took this picture from 3km above the surface of the comet.

Because the comet is so small, it has an extremely low gravitational pull. The probe was designed with a thruster on top to counter any bounce, and with harpoons to dig into the surface, but neither system worked. Instead the probe bounced and landed again at least once - probably twice - before coming back down to rest.

Unfortunately it is not clear what state the probe is in, or whether it might even be upside down. ESA is still looking at the data sent back so far by Philae, and is set to update the world at a press conference around 12pm UK time.

Regardless, the landing still represents a huge win for the agency, marking the first time that a lander has successfully made a soft descent onto a comet's surface.

The 10-year, billion-euro mission took Rosetta - which is still operational in orbit around the comet - on a 6.4-billion kilometre journey around Mars, Jupiter and eventually the comet itself, at speeds of more than 40,000 km/hour.

It was hailed by everyone from NASA to astronauts aboard the International Space Station as a remarkable moment for human exploration.

Rosetta: A Visual History
At first it was just a model...(01 of19)
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Seen here with European Space Agency Director of Science Prof Roger Bonnet in 2003. (credit:Matthew Fearn/PA Archive)
And then they built it for real.(02 of19)
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Workers are seen at spacecraft Rosetta with thermal blankets during testing in the Large Space Simulator in the Netherlands in 2004. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Preparing for launch,(03 of19)
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The European Ariane V rocket, carrying spacecraft Rosetta, stands at its launching pad at the Kourou space base, French Guiana, Wednesday Feb. 25, 2004. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Launch.(04 of19)
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On the 2 March 2004 Rosetta started its 10 year mission, launching from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
And it left us behind.(05 of19)
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This handout picture from the European Space Agency (ESA) retrieved on September 3, 2008 shows an artist's rendition of ESA's probe Rosetta leaving Earth. (credit:Getty Images)
This was the target.(06 of19)
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This rather daunting image shows the size of the comet, providing some perspective of the titanic task that ESA is facing.
It's big.(07 of19)
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(08 of19)
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Artist's impression of the European Space Agency (ESA) probe Rosetta with Mars in the background. It also passed by Jupiter, slingshotting around the planet to gain speed in order to catch up with Comet 67P. (credit:Getty Images)
The comet came closer...(09 of19)
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(credit:APN)
(10 of19)
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Taken at a distance of around 110km this image was taken in August 2014 and shows on of the clearest images yet of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
(11 of19)
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The image shows the spectacular region of activity at the 'neck' of 67P/C-G. This is the product of ices sublimating and gases escaping from inside the comet, carrying streams of dust out into space.
Rosetta 'Selfie'(12 of19)
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This incredible double exposure image was taken at just 16km. In the foreground you can see one of Rosetta's large 14m solar wings while in the background is the comet itself.
(13 of19)
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Rosetta OSIRIS wide-angle camera image of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko shows the extensive activity taking place at the 'neck' of the comet.
It picked its landing site.(14 of19)
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This small, unassuming patch of ground is where the ESA hopes to make history by being the first organisation to land on a comet. The photo is a collage of different images taken from around 30km.
And now?(15 of19)
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This image provided by the European Space Agency ESA shows an artists impression of the Rosetta orbiter deploying the Philae lander to comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko (credit:AP)
How Will It Land?(16 of19)
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To help avoid any unnecessary complications the ESA is taking no chances. Once the thruster pushes Philae onto the comet's surface foot screws will immediately lock the lander down while tiny Harpoons will shoot down, essentially 'anchoring' the tiny lander.
Exploring A Comet(17 of19)
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Undated artistic sketch of Philae on the comet. (credit:Getty Images)
And now we wait.(18 of19)
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Employees work in the control room of ESA in Darmstadt, Germany. (credit:AP)
(19 of19)
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The picture taken with the navigation camera on Rosetta and released by the European Space Agency ESA shows the boulder-strewn neck region of Comet 67P/ChuryumovâGerasimenko, with the smaller lobe on the left and the larger lobe on the right. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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