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Real-Life "Armageddon" Lander Touches Down On Comet - Live Feed
As European scientists continue to watch the nail-biting descent of the Philae Lander to the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko to collect samples, the images (and tweet stream from the 'lander') are stunning. Conjuring thoughts of roughnecks and Aerosmith, the material that the lander analyses in the first contact of its kind will give insight into how Earth and other planets formed.
Touchdown! My new address: 67P! #CometLanding
— Philae Lander (@Philae2014) November 12, 2014
Live feed (via The European Space Agency):
European scientists launched a probe from spaceship Rosetta on Wednesday in an historic attempt to examine the surface of a comet, starting a seven-hour descent that marks the most nail-biting phase of a ten-year mission.
Overcoming technical glitches, the European Space Agency craft jettisoned its lander on schedule at around 0400 ET to collect samples from the surface of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which it has been orbiting since August.
"Now it's up to gravity to bring it down," Stefan Ulamec, Lander Manager from German Aerospace Center DLR, said.
The material that the lander, named Philae, analyses in the first contact of its kind will give insight into how Earth and other planets formed.
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The launch went ahead despite a problem with the thruster that was due to help stop the lander from bouncing back off the comet's surface, which means it may have to rely mainly on its harpoons to anchor it.
"There were various problems with the preparation activities overnight but we have decided to go. Rosetta is lined up for separation," Paolo Ferri, ESA's head of mission operations, said before the launch.
The team had to release the three-legged lander at exactly the right time and speed because there is no way of controlling it on its descent.
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The probe is expected to touch down at around 1030 ET and confirmation of the landing is expected some 30 minutes later.
* * *
The Philae Lander confirms touch-down...
It’s me… landing on a comet & feeling good! MT @ESA_Rosetta: I see you too! #CometLanding pic.twitter.com/DjU0J1Ey4H
— Philae Lander (@Philae2014) November 12, 2014
.@philae2014’s first postcard just after separation – it’s of me!
#CometLanding
Credit: ESA/Rosetta/Philae/CIVA pic.twitter.com/OXJwGunL3V
— ESA Rosetta Mission (@ESA_Rosetta) November 12, 2014
Nice one! I’ve never seen you from this angle before, @ESA_Rosetta! #CometLanding
— Philae Lander (@Philae2014) November 12, 2014
Images of the comet...
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I am watching this live..the thing just landed...and they all went to lunch...lol....you would think they have work to do...not in the EU....its breaktime...and tomorrow is a holiday I bet...science can wait
It just proves that government employees are the same pretty much everywhere.
toolshed: Hmmmmmm, you are sounding more and more like a big bellied hawg rider.
Don't really care what i sound like. Collectively we as a species have some rather large problems to deal with on this planet. Money / efforts might just be better spent closer to home. Opinions differ of course.
I understand what you are saying. Unfortunately, in this extremely imperfect society we live in, it just doesn't work that way. If the gov had not spent the money on science, they would have spent it on bank bailouts, bombs, or new furniture for the senate's chambers. It would be great if we humans acted even a tiny bit civilized and actually tried to help and take care of each other, and in fact, some of us do just that. Sadly, those good helpful people tend to be passive and do not seek positions of leadership. The aggressive wolves among us tend to covet the positions of leadership. As we have all seen, those wolves tend to be self absorbed egotistical, and dishonest. That is the human society we currently live in.
One large step for twitter, another small step on the taxpayer's head. Maybe they can find some aliens that can step in and buy our bonds when the Chinese stop.
The lander will leave behind a prospectus.
this is a big reality check for astrophysics. the comet as dirty snowball concept will have to be revised. the comet is a solid rock and not a conglomerate of loosely accreted matter. the missing story is the electrical processes that are going on that continue to eat away at the surface of the comet as it gets nearer to the sun.
See my comments above (not immediately above but about halfway up).
They say it is no anchored -- this is what you'd expect -- the anchoring system was designed to work on a dirty snowball, not a rock.
Also the radio signal was dropping out -- plasma discharges will do that. The predicition of the Electric Universe guys is that it's only a matter of time before plasma discharge fries the electronics on the lander.
I just love that all these French people are forced to speak English considering they wouldn't bother otherwise.
Imagine the little pricks speaking their own language most of the time.
Stop using then words in the English language that have a French origin. Would be rather hypocritical to do so.
Maybe the Chinese can build a faux 'Las Vegas' themed ghost city on a comet. Just think of the GDP bump.
Instagram has a color filter, right?
Or, does a color ccd chip really weigh more than one that's only black&white?
I hope this is real.
We shall see.
These fractal landscapes could be simulated through software like Terragen or Vue. Believe me, I've used it and it does amazing shit.
NASA. Do me a favor. Flip that Hubble around and show me a picture of the flag perched on the Sea of Tranqulity.