The probe had been studying the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko for 57 hours when it went to sleep, possibly for good November 15, 2014
The landscape of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko is seen in detail in this photo from the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft captured in late October 2014 ahead of the Nov. 12 landing of Rosetta's Philae lander.
The first spacecraft ever to land on a comet has fallen silent, entering a potentially long, cold sleep after running out of power.
The European Space Agency's Philae lander completed its last transmission Friday (Nov. 14) at 7:36 p.m. EST (0036 GMT) before settling into a hibernation state as its batteries ran out. The probe had been studying the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko for 57 hours when it went to sleep, possibly for good. (Nov. 12) as part of ESA's historic Rosetta mission.
"It has been a huge success, the whole team is delighted," Philae lander manager Stephan Ulamec of DLR German Aerospace Agency, who tracked the comet landing from ESA's Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany, . "Despite the unplanned series of three touchdowns, all of our instruments could be operated and now it's time to see what we've got." []
The washing machine-sized Philae lander unexpectedly on Comet 67P/C-G when the probe's anchor-like harpoon system failed to fire. Philae ended up in shadow near a cliff face on the head of the 4-kilometers-wide comet, which scientists say is shaped like a giant rubber duck. All 10 instruments on the probe, including a drill to bite into the comet, performed their jobs during the probe's active phase, ESA officials said.
"This machine performed magnificently under tough conditions, and we can be fully proud of the incredible scientific success Philae has delivered," Ulamec .
But even as Philae carried out its science measurements on Comet 67P/C-G, its days were numbered. The probe's solar panels never received enough sunlight to recharge its batteries, something that scientists hoped would extend .
But despite that hope, ESA scientists are not holding their breath. Philae's mothership—the circling Comet 67P/C-G—is listening for a signal from Philae on the off chance the lander can still say hello.
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