<- Col article ->
After selecting a possible landing site for Philae, the mission team Rosetta adjusted the date on which the European probe should jettison his robot lab on Comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The extremely delicate, and never before attempted operation is now scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, rather than 11 as previously mentioned. However, even if timing is accurate, both options are still open. In order to deal with any eventuality, the European Space Agency (ESA) has selected two possible landing sites Philae, a favorite site D on the smaller lobe of the comet dual core and a backup site C its largest lobe. But on this point, the team should still hold its final decision until 14 October. A precaution due to the unpredictability of comets … Visit the site J and C on the comet through this animation: in fact, made of ice and dust agglomerated, these bodies have the particularity to activate when their orbit – usually very long – leads close to the Sun. Clearly, due to the increasing heat, their ice (ice water but not only) sublime, that is to say, they go directly from the solid state to state gas carrying rocks along the way. So the surface of the comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko (Rosetta and Philae have rightly mission to accompany his journey toward the Sun) is already emerging jets of gas and dust that could be involved in great danger if they were disturbing the descent of Philae. Because it will be in a completely passive. In other words once Rosetta will ejected the module, it will fall on the comet like a stone, no one will control its trajectory. If the site is maintained as J landing site, Philae will separate from Rosetta 35 at 9 am (Paris time) to begin a descent of 22 , 5 km. Then the fall will last about seven hours, landing on the comet being provided to 16 h 30 and confirmation of smooth operations for 17 hours, since the signals sent by Rosetta takes about 28 minutes to reach Earth. However, if the ESA should fall back on the backup site C, the release would take place at 14 am 04 The descent, which would be only 12.5 km, then only last for four hours. As for the main purpose of the first landing on a comet risk is that of a fatal rebound. Because the gravitational pull that the comet will have on the robot 100 kg will be extremely low. So as soon as Philae will touch the ground, the two harpoons, which it is equipped, seek to entrench. Similarly, a gas is emitted to create a supposed press it against the surface of 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko thrust. Its three legs with screws so then eventually to fix the floor. Watch this video simulating landing and berthing of Philae on the comet :
Risk rebound fatal
No comments:
Post a Comment