Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The Philae probe Rosetta troubled lands on … – La Voz de Galicia

The Philae probe Rosetta mission just made history by achieving land on a comet. The modulus of the European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully arrived on 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This Historical for space and time for Europe occurred at 17.04 , penisular time that has come confirmation Space Operations Center in Darmstadt (Germany). “ Philae is telling us, is perched on the surface ‘, said an official of the ESA.



After the joy of communicating with probe Philae of the ESA and on the surface of the comet, experts have found that, although it is stable, the two harpoons which was nailed to the ground have not been fired. This could be a great inconviente, together with the already known bug in the engine that was detected early on Wednesday as the module is only held in place by three screws and is not known whether it will hold subject to 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko .

“The harpoons were not fired. do not know exactly what the current situation . We get the signal from the robot, but with fluctuations. The Philae probe could have bounced off the comet and returned to land elsewhere and get to turn on itself. It could be that we have landed not once but twice, “explained from the ESA during the last briefing on Wednesday Rosetta mission . They have also indicated that have lost touch “but this is normal because Rosetta is maneuvering in orbit . -for The Thursday-morning will know more. ” In a press conference Thursday at 14 pm, the scientifc expect already know the exact location of Philae .

The comet’s surface is covered with dust temperature is about 70 C and mission researchers are still analyzing how and where exactly has settled, what will be known in the coming hours. They do know that it was at set point, called Agilkia, and that this “journey” has been a success, also Rosetta. “We will take many years to see something like”, said Javier Ventura Efe, ESA spokesman in Spain, whose headquarters have gathered to follow the landing probe Philae in the comet 67 / P Churyumov-Gerasimenko scientists, engineers and representatives of Spanish companies and institutions that have participated in the mission (the Spanish intervention in Rosetta is between 7 and 8%).

A Despite the problems of the probe Philae , and ends one of the most important parts. The drop taken by the robot to the surface of the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko not only a milestone in the history of space exploration, but it also means a trip into the unknown, to landing more risky than has ever been attempted . Precedents of Martian and lunar modules were worth, because there is little comet gravity. The 22.5 miles of unit decline from the Rosetta were in free fall, but at a minimum speed of 3.2 kilometers per hour.

A separation problems

After a journey of ten years and 6,550 million miles across the solar system, the Rosetta mission plucked in the morning Wednesday his most critical moment . During the pre-separation probe Philae and Rosetta spacecraft , which took place on Wednesday morning checkup, a fault was detected in the probe . The propellant onboard and whose function is to push down on the final phase of landing-and prevent it from being thrown into space-not work. The probe depended, therefore, only the harpoon and screws on board to dig into the surface of the comet. Those in charge of the mission in time to abort the landing, decided to go ahead with the plan.

The Rosetta and Philae probe separated, as expected, at 09:36 pm , 22.5 miles from the surface of comet 67P. Confirmation came the European Space Operations Centre around 10:00 hours. Half an hour of difference as to the speed of light, data sent to Earth by radio signal takes 28 minutes and 20 seconds to reach the operations center in Darmstadt.



The first signal and image of Philae

The Control Center lost contact with the probe Philae that, so far, is communicated through Rosetta. However, as expected, has sent its first signal to the Earth at around 12.06 hours , which remained through the ship because the robot can not send your data directly to planet.

Was the head of the Rosetta mission of the European Space Agency (ESA), Paolo Ferri, and Rosetta flight director, Andrea Acommazzo, who have announced that they received a telemetry signal to the satellite Rosetta confirming that Philae probe still alive . With the reestablishment of communications, the robot began to broadcast a report on the state . The module has already sent the first scientific data, among which are the images taken moments after you leave . The first image that has taken the probe shows one of the solar panels fourteen feet long Rosetta.



has not been only. Once connected and landing probe Philae has sent another picture Three miles from Churyumov-Gerasimenko . In her approach to the comet is observed and also you can see one of the panels in the upper right corner.



Fan of selfies -the ship sent two, one to 16 kilometers from the comet, also Rosetta has sent the first image of the probe Philae shortly after separation. In the picture, you can see how the robot out of first in ten years-as reflected in its official Twitter profile after launching its first signal-. Was this picture that has allowed experts to see that the robot was deployed its legs and antennae , indispensable to its landing.



And that the Philae lander has begun work Rosetta nothing discard . The mission scientist, Miguel Perez Ayúcar, has indicated that in the passage that separates the rock is tested magnetometer, responsible for determining the orientation and magnetic structure of the surface. Also begins to work the instrument called CONSERT, which determine the gravimetric body.

After separation, the probe Philae and the ship continued flying together for 40 minutes. When they got to about 20 miles of the comet Rosetta has changed its course to return to be in a circular orbit around 67P.



The Landing at Agilkia

And after seven hours of waiting it was time for the probe Philae . Although had a 30% chance that will land on an area of ​​the kite is not suitable for landing , everything went as planned. So to 17.04 , at the headquarters of ESA received the news that the robot successfully landed, completing one of the most important parts of the mission. Since the ESA have explained “ the decrease was very soft and the intended path. Receive the signal perfectly landing. “

The venue will settle to the probe Philae , Agilkia dubbed, is an area a square kilometer with a slope of 30% and full of pitfalls , with hundreds of rocks between 50 centimeters and 50 meters, was selected last September among five points- their characteristics. This is an area with cliffs and rocks 12 feet high, and a good mix of ice and dust on the surface.



Now the question is opened with failure harpoons probe Philae . Initially, it was planned that will work to grip the surface of the comet, but also to know the composition of the soil where the robot is attached.

drill is not yet known if they will only keep the screws.

Scientists Rosetta prominent among the tools that has the probe Philae , with will deepen in the crust of the comet with a depth of 20 inches . The material collected will be analyzed by other instruments held.



If all goes well, Rosetta and continue to send information when robot Comet is the closest point to the Sun in his career, in August 2015. After it is anticipated that under the effect of dust and projections stop scrutinizing the secrets of the object and is given for completion of the assignment

Contact twelve hours for the next three months

As for the process of the study, ESA has indicated that 67P / Gerasimenko Churiumov rotates every 12 hours, so that the probe is outside the scope of Rosetta, with which it communicates to send data to Earth for six hours, ie Philae will contact probe 12 hour . Meanwhile, the robot can not move through the rock, but if you rotate certain degrees on itself , which is why his work is based on the land on which it sits.

projects prepared for the probe Philae , which is the size of a refrigerator and weighs about 98 pounds-should be made in the next three months as the comet will get closer to the Sun, the maximum will occur in August 2015 , and the device can not withstand the temperatures to which it will be exposed. However, ESA has extended the mission until December 2015 and it is possible that it can be extended through 2016.

The Philae probe of the Rosetta spacecraft , launched in 2004 and after ten years of hibernation -of which awoke in January-, is to first study the surface of a comet, which scientists believe formed by a more primitive material as the planets. The study in situ Rock will help confirm whether comets are actually those seeded life on Earth .

LikeTweet
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)