The European Space Agency's Rosetta space probe is now orbiting around comet 67P. On the 12th November the Philae lander was launched from Rosetta and landed on the comet. Contact was lost with Philae on the 15th November after the lander's batteries ran out of power. In August 2015, when the comet has moved closer to the Sun, it is possible that the lander's solar panels will receive enough solar energy for Philae to recharge its batteries.
You can track comet 27P and Rosetta as it travels through the solar system on ESA's 3d map, Where is Rosetta?. The map shows the location of Rosetta, the planets and the Sun. You can also playback the entirety of Rosetta's journey, from its launch in March 2004 to its rendezvous with comet 67P in August 2014 and beyond.
If you click on the 'Where is Rosetta today' you can also view the spacecraft's current position.
No comments:
Post a Comment