LANDING ON A COMET - The Rosetta Mission

+++ Update +++
Rosetta's lander Philae is safely on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, as these first two CIVA images confirm. One of the lander's three feet can be seen in the foreground.

DLR's Rosetta special
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After a 10-year journey of some seven billion kilometres, the Rosetta mission is now heading towards its next major milestone – setting the lander Philae on a comet.

On 12 November 2014, a lander is scheduled to touch down on a comet for the first time in the history of spaceflight. “We don’t know exactly what awaits us there,” says lander Project Manager Stephan Ulamec from the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR).

Landing on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko will enable scientists to carry out experiments in situ for the first time. Comets are considered to be witnesses to the birth of the Solar System. Will the surface of the comet be in a primordial state? Do comets show evidence of prebiotic molecules and water, and did they therefore play a role in the origin of life on Earth? The Rosetta mission is expected to help answer such questions.

More information

DLR's Rosetta special

Credits:
Original Material: DLR (CC-BY 3.0)
Animation: DLR (CC-BY 3.0)
Additional Footage: ESA
Credit 67P image: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
Music: see end titles

[amairanigonzalez]

I am so far from being even the slightest involved in the topic, yet seeing that spike and everyone's reaction made me want to cry LOL
Yay, science !

[bonnie]

" Head in the clouds and feet on the ground "! Such extraordinary people you are!! Thank you to exist..

[Melissandrel]

I'm rewatching this just for pleasure, this is still one of my favorite missions <3 thanks for making it happen

[salmassoun]

Thats amazing, and yet somehow emotional. 

BTW is that Albert E on 8:46????

[JayeetaSarkar]

Very informative video! Thanks DLR for sharing this ! :)

[spcplc]

The rosetta mission is highly interesting. Thx DLR.

[jamesboston]

Amazing doesn't begin to describe this project.

[Kevn]

8:45 This was all possible thanks to Albert Einstein.

[EnlightedMinds]

This is one of humankind's greatest achievements so far, epic !

[Kpictures_NYC]

Really cool stuff. It's as if we landed on another small planet far from our galaxy since the comet is coming to us from afar. It's very interesting what they may find.

[pedroestrella]

Super interesantes estas versiones sobre los cometas. Gracias por dar a conocer estos datos científicos.

[MUSTASCHO]

Such clever people! Imagine being a little green man living on the comet, walking out of his little space hut to see this advanced alien machine touching down, firing its harpoons and drilling into the ground. It'd be awe inspiring, and probably scary!

[oooo]

Klasse Arbeit. Am besten ist der dronenflug am strand 😉

[lancelovecraft]

Imagine all the math and physics that goed into this. Very inspiring

[zokonjazokonja]

So it looks like there is no Ice on the comet? Or I'm wrong?

[vommuhlenberg]

Does anyone know what’s the eyeglasses brand name that Matt Taylor’s (Rosetta Project Scientist)  wearing ?

[HiAdrian]

Great video. Can Rosetta align its orbital inclination and speed to that of the landing site so that Philae can descent normal to the surface?
Edit: I just saw a video demonstrating of the approach and it's far from a 'comet-stationary' orbit.

[xerox]

“Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still. We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean. We are ready at last to set sail for the stars.”
― Carl Sagan

[mitoand]

Is there a live broadcast of this on some website?

[Forrestwilliam]

Good job Europe! Well done! Much respect USA