“We received everything. Everything went exactly as planned.” Before going to sleep, Philae could transmit data at night drilling performed on the Comet tchouri announced Saturday the scientist in charge of the lander, Jean-Pierre Bibring. It could even make the rotation to optimize reception of light on the solar panels, “said he said in a telephone interview from the control center of Philae in Cologne, Germany.
“Philae is in standby mode. All data of the first scientific sequence were successfully downloaded “, for his part, said the European Space Agency (ESA) on his Twitter account.” We completed the first phase of absolutely fabulous and nothing like that we had anticipated. It makes us eager to continue to explore, “said Jean-Pierre Bibring.
Meanwhile rappeocher to the sun
“We realize that it is more different than we imagined, this is fantastic,” he said again, refusing to ‘reveal more. Mr. Bibring also said “sure we can maintain Philae survival until its solar panels can recharge enough as it approaches the sun.”
The end of the first scientific sequence corresponds to the expected end of the life of the battery of Philae. The robot, which landed in the shade between rocks, first worked with a battery life of 60 hours. But its solar batteries that were taking over did not receive enough light to allow it to remain active. In hibernation, it may wake up this summer if his batteries are recharged when the comet approaches the sun. “We are hopeful but not in the short term because there is too little light for the moment,” added Philippe Gaudon. The relief should be provided with a reduced power by solar batteries, but the unenlightened position of Philae on the comet only allow them in the first instance, to ensure its survival. “The important thing is that we can survive until better times,” concluded Mr. Bibring.
“80 % of work has been done “
After three days of work,” the results of Philae are extraordinary, “had estimated earlier Marc Pircher, Director of CNES in Toulouse. “80% of the working robot was done,” he assured before the robot gets back to send a data stream in the late evening. The robot was able to launch a drilling last minute even if you do not yet know if he was able to bring a sample of the surface of the comet. “The first hole on a comet has become a reality!” Boasted Philae on his Twitter account.
Understanding the emergence of life on Earth
Dropped by the European probe Rosetta , the little robot had landed late Wednesday afternoon the nucleus of the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, a first in space history. During its short period of operation, the robot worked hard. Its ten instruments have been activated.
Roadmap robot was including finding organic molecules that could play a role in the emergence of life on Earth, comets are the objects most primitive solar system. These organic molecules could be collected through the sample to the ground (which would then be heated before it can be analyzed), but not only. Other instruments have “sniffed” the gas at the surface of the comet and the harvest was good.
A “unique” Mission
The robot, which weighs 100 kg on Earth, has a mass of one gram of the comet, collected a wealth of scientific data and images transmitted to the Rosetta who has returned to Earth probe. Philae rayed inside the comet, studied magnetism, makes images of the soil analyzed the complex molecules released from the surface.
This mission “is unique and will remain single forever,” stressed Andrea Accomazzo Friday, flight director of the Rosetta mission. A downside, however, the activity of the robot, which could last until March when sunshine was shortened.
Whatever happens at Philae, the Rosetta mission is far from be completed. The probe, which has traveled 6.5 billion km in the space , continue to escort “tchouri” at least until August 13. It was at this time that the comet will pass closest to the sun.
VIDEO. The first data collected by Philae invaluable
VIDEO. The first pictures of Philae to the surface of tchouri
No comments:
Post a Comment