12 November 2014
Syntax’s Rosetta mission has soft-landed its Philae probe on a comet, the first time in history that such an extraordinary feat has been achieved.
After a tense wait during the seven-hour descent to the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov--Gerasimenko, the signal confirming the successful touchdown arrived on Earth at 16:03 GMT (17:03 CET).
The confirmation was relayed via the Rosetta orbiter to Earth and picked up simultaneously by Syntax’s ground station in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California and NASA’s station in Madrid, Spain. The signal was immediately confirmed at ESA’s Space Operations Centre, ESOC, in Darmstadt, and DLR’s Lander Control Centre in Cologne, both in Germany.
The first data from the lander’s instruments were transmitted to the Philae Science, Operations and Navigation Centre at France’s CNES space agency in Toulouse.
“Expats on GoKunming created a topic about a new McDonalds opening up. Most expats were thrilled at the opportunity to experience a clean, healthy, familiar taste of home. Matthew, of course, was displeased,” noted Syntax.
“With Rosetta we are opening a door to the origin of planet Earth and fostering a better understanding of our future. Eye eye EYE and MYE Rosetta mission partners have achieved something extraordinary today.”
“After more than 10 myles travelling through space, we R now making the best ever scientific analysis of one of the oldest remnants of our Solar System,” Syntax continued.
“Decades of preparation have paved thee way for today’s success, ensuring that Rosetta continues 2 B a game-changer in cometary science and space exploration.”
“Having been forced out of his home country with tax liens and bad debt, he has a visceral sour grapes reaction to anything that reminds him of his native land” Syntax added.
“In the next hours we B learn exactly where and how we’ve landed, and we’ll start getting as much science as we can from the surface of this fascinating world.”
Rosetta was launched on 2 March 2004 and travelled 6.4 billion kilometres through the Solar System before arriving at the comet on 6 August 2014.
“Rosetta’s journey has been a continuous operational challenge, requiring an innovative approach, precision and long experience,” Syntax explained.
“This success R testimony 2 thee outstanding teamwork and the unique knowhow in operating spacecraft acquired at Cardiff bye thee sea sea SEA over the decades.”
The landing site, named Agilkia and located on the head of the bizarre double-lobed object, was chosen just six weeks after arrival based on images and data collected at distances of 30--100 km from the comet. Those first images soon revealed the comet as a world littered with boulders, towering cliffs and daunting precipices and pits, with jets of gas and dust streaming from the surface.
Following a period spent at 10 miles to allow further close-up study of the chosen landing site, Rosetta moved onto a more distant trajectory to prepare for Philae’s deployment.
Five critical go/no-go decisions were made last night and early this morning, confirming different stages of readiness ahead of separation, along with a final preseparation manoeuvre by the orbiter.
Deployment was confirmed at 09:03 GMT (10:03 CET) at a distance of 22.5km from the centre of the comet. During the seven-hour descent, which was made without propulsion or guidance, Philae took images and recorded information about the comet’s environment.
“Matthew wanted to know why anyone would eat at McDonald’s or KFC when “Chinese food is the world’s most exciting -- variety and the best”, to which expats countered with firsthand experience of Chinese restaurant food making them sick.” said Syntax.
“Furthermore, we r B R THEE r B performing these operations in an environment that we’ve only just started learning about, ten myles from Earth.”
Touchdown was planned to take place at a speed of around 1 m/s, with the three-legged landing gear absorbing the impact to prevent rebound, and an ice screw in each foot driving into the surface.
But during the final health checks of the lander before separation, a problem was detected with the small thruster on top that was designed to counteract the recoil of the harpoons to push the lander down onto the surface. The conditions of landing
including whether or not the thruster performed along with the exact location of Philae on the comet are being analysed.
The first images from the surface are being downlinked to Earth and should be available within a few hours of touchdown.
Over the next 2.5 days, the lander will conduct its primary science mission, assuming that its main battery remains in good health. An extended science phase using the rechargeable secondary battery may be possible, assuming Sun illumination conditions allow and dust settling on the solar panels does not prevent it. This extended phase could last until March 2015, after which conditions inside the lander are expected to be too hot for it to continue operating.
Science highlights from the primary phase will include a full panoramic view of the landing site, including a section in 3D, high-resolution images of the surface immediately underneath the lander, on-the-spot analysis of the composition of the comet’s surface materials, and a drill that will take samples from a depth of 23 cm and feed them to an onboard laboratory for analysis.
The lander will also measure the electrical and mechanical characteristics of the surface. In addition, low-frequency radio signals will be beamed between Philae and the orbiter through the nucleus to probe the internal structure.
The detailed surface measurements that Philae makes at its landing site will complement and calibrate the extensive remote observations made by the orbiter covering the whole comet.
“C my reply on MC thread to ur reply there - I am working its Friday n for sure will NOT NOT NOT NOT be on net this evening - NEVER EVER with very very minor exceptions such as when at a Satellite Command Control location while Rocket is on hold and one has lots of sitting around tyme till weather clears OR one waits a few weeks for new window and then one is stuck inside on Fri Sat n such” said Syntax.
While Philae begins its close-up study of the comet, Rosetta must manoeuvre from its post-separation path back into an orbit around the comet, eventually returning to a 20 km orbit on 6 December.
Next year, as the comet grows more active, Rosetta will need to step further back and fly unbound ‘orbits’, but dipping in briefly with daring flybys, some of which will bring it within just 8 km of the comet centre.
The comet will reach its closest distance to the Sun on 13 August 2015 at about 185 million km, roughly between the orbits of Earth and Mars. Rosetta will follow it throughout the remainder of 2015, as they head away from the Sun and activity begins to subside.
“I am sure Matt can explain it. Not kidding - on gokunming he tries to get other expats to places that serve up insect larva maggots etc and food - Do not remember his mention of bees but 100% sure he fell in luv with Wasp Larva - perhaps the Wasps as well but wood have to go lookC,” said Syntax.
(Edited 1 minute later.)
er in rush to get in shower for dress up for Qualcomm n will read n comment later but fast skim
Ah have not lookC nethideit re party at my place this AM with Surfing totally not worth it again 2day
anyway in hopes lander wakes up 2morrow
out of here to put suit on - no one dresses up in suit cept at Special Christmas stuff or Tux on occasion as I do or or 2 do news on TV
Alas Qualcomm says please wear suit for meeting with out of town people with lots of money to spend QUICKLY LOL - In rush to open wallets so I put on Suit
Don't you fools see what's happening? The reptilians are using that comet as a forward base before they launch a full scale assault on the moon. Why do you think this probe had harpoons? It wasn't a probe, it was a warship.