After landing on 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (shortened to 67P) , Rosetta.s lander Philae is still in good shape and has already transmitted about 80% of the planned science data. You can call this a big success!
Unfortunately Philae is now sitting in a gap or hole and is getting only sun light for a short time on only one solar panel. Philae has two batteries a primary and a secondary that are working very well, but are not recharged due the bad lighting conditions of the solar panels. This morning a lot of science data was relayed to Rosetta and send back to Earth, this morning between 6:01 UT and 9:58 UT. The next time slot Rosetta flies over the landing spot of Philae and should be able to make contact will be tonight at 19:27 UT to 23:47 UT. This is if Philae still has enough power to contact Rosetta as the batteries are draining quickly due the lack of sunlight on Philae’s solar panels… As Rosetta stores the signals and than forwards it to Earth, the first signals are expected at ESOC from about 21:30 UT.
Rosetta’s is kept in an orbit that optimized for lander communication. Rosetta sends all the science and housekeeping data back via its 28 Kbps link. People how have used dial-in modums in the early days of the Internet, know that it will take a while before all data will be send back to Earth.
Did I hear, “No photo didn’t happen”? OK here they are!
Descent from Philae as photographed from Rosetta.
Descent image as seen from the ROLIS camera onboard Philae 3 Km above the comet.
Descent image of the first landing site, as seen from the ROLIS camera onboard Philae 4o meters above the comet.
Welcome on the comet! Image from the first image set of the current landing place, after Philae made two hops.
First panorama photo from a comet. This is composition of four photos. Picture Philae in the middle of the photo.
Same panorama with Philae project in it’s actual position.
All photos: ESA/Rosetta/Philae, ESA/Rosetta/Philae/CIVA, ESA/Rosetta/Philae/ROLIS
Thanks to ESA to GPL all photos!
