Image: ESA
The space probe Philae made a successful landing on a comet, the European Space Agency announced Wednesday, despite a malfunction in the probe’s anchoring system. After a seven-hour descent to the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, signals indicating that the probe had touched down were relayed via the Rosetta orbiter craft to stations on Earth, including ESA’s ground station in Malargue, Argentina, and NASA’s station in Madrid, Spain, the agency said. “After more than 10 years travelling through space, we’re now making the best ever scientific analysis of one of the oldest remnants of our solar system,” said Alvaro Gimnez, ESA’s Director of Science and Robotic Exploration.
Philae was equipped with a three-legged landing gear system that includes ice screws in each foot designed to pierce the surface. But a malfunction was detected in a small thruster that was to counteract the recoil of the harpoons as they pushed the lander onto the surface, the ESA said. The agency is examining the cause of the problem, Philae’s landing condition, and the probe’s exact location on the comet. Meanwhile, Philae is transmitting data about its surroundings from its instruments to Earth. “We are extremely relieved to be safely on the surface of the comet, especially given the extra challenges that we faced with the health of the lander,” said Stephan Ulamec, Philae Lander Manager at the DLR German Aerospace Center. Rosetta was launched in March 2004 and arrived at the comet in August.
See the ESA’s video here.
