News Archive / Tagged: Philae

• Rosetta’s Philae lander makes historic comet landing

  SpaceFlight InsiderNovember 12th, 2014

  The European Space Agency (ESA) has been busy this week, preparing for one of its biggest milestones yet. After a decade-long journey, ESA’s comet-chasing Rosetta spacecraft successfully deployed the Philae lander, and achieved the first-ever soft touchdown on the surface of a comet. At 11:03 a.m. EDT (16:03 GMT) on Wednesday Nov. 12, after a seven-hour-long […]

• ESA’s Rosetta mission poised to ‘harpoon’ a comet

  James RiceNovember 11th, 2014

  On Wednesday, Nov. 12, after a journey of nearly 11 years and an estimated 4 billion miles – scientists will attempt its first ever landing upon a comet. This double lobed icy body has been named 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and it is about 2.5 miles across. If all goes according to plan, it will be one of the largest […]

• Rosetta’s Philae lander given “green light” for upcoming landing

  SpaceFlight InsiderOctober 18th, 2014

  The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially given the go ahead for Rosetta’s lander, Philae, to touchdown on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The historic landing is now scheduled to occur on Nov. 12, and will mark the first time a spacecraft has landed on the surface of a comet. The chosen landing site, designated “Site J”, is […]

• J marks the spot: ESA unveils Philae’s landing site

  SpaceFlight InsiderSeptember 15th, 2014

  PARIS, France — On August 27, we reported that the European Space Agency (ESA) narrowed down Philae’s potential landing sites to five locations. This morning, ESA announced the primary landing site as well as one backup site during a press conference. On November 11, the lander is scheduled to make history by being the first […]

• Rosetta’s ALICE instrument delivers first data and preliminary map of Comet 67P is revealed

  SpaceFlight InsiderSeptember 11th, 2014

  One of NASA’s four instruments aboard the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) Rosetta spacecraft has returned its first scientific findings. The ALICE instrument, first began scanning comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko ‘s surface roughly a month ago in an effort to determine the origin, composition, and internal processes to gather data we cannot collect via ground-based or even Earth-orbiting […]

• Rosetta snaps “selfie” above comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

  Jason RhianSeptember 10th, 2014

  The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosetta spacecraft and Philae lander have opted to participate in the latest fad by shooting a “selfie” of themselves in orbit above comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. To be able to do this, the spacecraft and its lander utilized the Comet Infrared and Visible Analyzer or “CIVA” which is one of ten scientific instruments […]

• Search for Rosetta’s Philae landing site narrows

  SpaceFlight InsiderAugust 27th, 2014

  Two weeks after the European Space Agency’s (ESA ) Rosetta spacecraft arrived at Comet 67 P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, scientists have been busy gathering data in preparation for an upcoming landing on the comet’s surface. If all goes according to plan, in November, Philae will be the first spacecraft to ever land on the surface of a comet. […]

• Rosetta discovers target comet – is actually two comets in one

  David DarlingJuly 16th, 2014

  The European Space Agency (ESA ) spacecraft Rosetta is rapidly closing on its target – comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko – at the start of what promises to be one of the most exciting space exploration missions of the year. Space exploration, like life – is what happens while you are making other plans. Three weeks before Rosetta is […]

• NASA instruments aboard Rosetta begin science as comet comes alive

  SpaceFlight InsiderJune 14th, 2014

  Since its launch in 2004, Rosetta has been traveling through space, patiently awaiting its mission – a rendezvous and landing on a comet. Composed of an orbiter and lander, the Rosetta spacecraft was awakened from a 957 day hibernation back in January and is slated to be the first vehicle to both orbit and land […]

• Through spacecraft and observatories – wild new solar system comes into focus

  David DarlingMarch 31st, 2014

  A ring around an asteroid, a new dwarf planet, a fresh gully on Mars, and preparations to land on a comet – it’s all happening in the solar system at the moment. The last week or two has brought a slew of new discoveries and the promise of many more to come in the very […]