A photo from open sources PHOTO: AP After a 10-year flight on the distance of more than 500 million km from Earth research robot “Fila” (Philae) of the Rosetta European Space Science Probe (Rosetta) for the first time in history made a successful landing on the core comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko, according to Interfax. Straight landing broadcast was received at the permanent establishment European Space Agency (ESA) in Moscow through European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany. because of the vast remoteness of this event from Earth, the landing signal was received with a 28 minute delay. Seven hours before boarding the robot separated from the probe. At that moment, the distance between it and the core comet was 20 km. During the flight of Fila to the comet, he and Rosetta exchanged “postcards” on Twitter. The robot took a photo Rosetta, and the probe photographed the trigger approaching the comet module. Earlier, the head of the Permanent Mission of the European space agency in Moscow Rene Pischel said the decision to landing on a comet was accepted despite the fact that the board of “Fila” problems were found. Weight “Fila” – about 100 kg. is he equipped with ten scientific instruments with which it is planned to take the substance of the comet’s nucleus and examine its composition, and also several special devices with which he should be fixed on the surface of the comet’s nucleus.
The Rosetta probe was launched on March 2, 2004. When flying for acceleration, he used the gravitational fields of Earth and Mars. is he several times flew around the Earth and once – Mars and two asteroid. To save energy, 2.5 years during the flight the probe was held in a state of artificial “coma”. In August 2014 he approached the comet, after which he became its companion. Total project cost – 1.3 billion euros.
First comet nucleus shot
A photo from open sources
© Photo: ESA / Rosetta / Philae / ROLIS / DLR
During the project, European scientists expect to receive relict substance of the solar system, test hypotheses about the possibility of comets transferring water and macromolecules of organics. Comet research can shed light on how life came about in the Universe. Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko was discovered in 1969 year by two Soviet astronomers. Her 67P index means she – 67th open comet orbiting the Sun with circulation period of less than 200 years.
Ivan BEZUSOV
Mars Moscow Robots
