Philae spacecraft creates history by landing on a comet

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Philae spacecraft created history when it landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The spacecraft began its journey to the comet 10 years back. On November 12, Philae separated from the mother ship and descended towards the rubber duck shaped comet and landed on a site called Agilkia on the comet’s surface.  Apart from analyzing the comet’s surface and atmosphere, the researchers hope that the probe will help gain deeper understanding about the origins of the solar system and how comets evolved. Philae’s main study phase lasts for three days, but with successful solar power charging, it can continue studying the 4-billion-year-old comet till March. Researchers will keep observing comet 67p – which orbits the sun every 6.45 years – as it approaches the sun in August.

Read more in Nature and European Space Agency.