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 Batteries aboard the European Space Agency’s Philae comet lander
drained, shutting down the washing machine-sized probe after an
adventurous and largely unscripted 57-hour mission.
Carried aboard the orbiting Rosetta mothership, Philae floated to
the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on Thursday, but
failed to deploy anchoring harpoons.
Upon contacting the comet’s unexpectedly hard surface, it bounced
back up into space twice then came to rest at a still-unknown
location about 1 km (0.6 mile) from its original target.
Photos and other data relayed by Philae show it finally landed
against a cliff or crater wall where there was little sunlight to
recharge its batteries. Racing against the clock, scientists
activated a series of automated experiments, the first to be
conducted from the surface of a comet.
Before dying, Philae defied the odds and radioed its science results
back to Earth for analysis.
Its last task was to reposition itself so that as the comet soars
toward the sun, Philae’s batteries may recharge enough for a
follow-on mission. “Perhaps when we are nearer to the sun we might
have enough solar illumination to wake up the lander and
re-establish communication,” spacecraft operations manager Stephan
Ulamec said in a statement.
Scientists are particularly interested in learning about the
chemical composition of any organic molecules in samples drilled out
from the comet’s body.
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Comets are believed to be pristine remnants from the formation of
our solar system some 4.6 billion years ago. They contain rock and
ice that have preserved ancient organic molecules like a time
capsule and may provide insight into how the planets and life
evolved.
Philae's drill descended more than 25 cm (10 inches) on Friday,
penetrating the comet’s surface.
Rosetta in August became the first spacecraft to put itself into
orbit around a comet. It will accompany the comet as it travels
toward the sun for at least another 13 months.
(Reporting by Irene Klotz in Cape Canaveral, Florida; Editing by
Dale Hudson)
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