Rosetta mission lander set to explore surface of comet
After a few glitches, Philae robotic probe is set to dig into to 67P’s frozen secrets
TOUCHDOWN The comet lander Philae has successfully hit its mark: comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The leg of the lander appears at the right of this image taken three kilometers from the comet’s surface.
ESA/Rosetta/Philae/ROLIS/DLR
DARMSTADT, GERMANY — Philae is now sitting on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The minifridge-sized lander set itself onto the comet on November 12 and is now preparing to beam back panoramic pictures of its environs and explore the chemistry of the dust beneath its toes.