Picking a comet landing site
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Comet 67P/C-G as seen on August 22, 2014
from 40 miles. Click on image for full resolution.
Engineers have begun the landing site selection for Rosetta’s Philae lander.
This week, up to ten possible sites are being laid on the table for a first round of dedicated discussions and for the LCC and the SONC to carry out a technical analysis on each site, ready to be presented at the weekend meeting. Participants of the LSSG will then review the results from the technical analysis and discuss the scientific merits of the candidate sites. By the end of the weekend meeting, as many as five sites could be selected for further detailed investigation.
They will announce the five finalist sites on Monday.
Please consider donating to Behind the Black, by giving either a one-time contribution or a regular subscription, as outlined in the tip jar to the right or below. Your support will allow me to continue covering science and culture as I have for the past twenty years, independent and free from any outside influence.
Comet 67P/C-G as seen on August 22, 2014
from 40 miles. Click on image for full resolution.
Engineers have begun the landing site selection for Rosetta’s Philae lander.
This week, up to ten possible sites are being laid on the table for a first round of dedicated discussions and for the LCC and the SONC to carry out a technical analysis on each site, ready to be presented at the weekend meeting. Participants of the LSSG will then review the results from the technical analysis and discuss the scientific merits of the candidate sites. By the end of the weekend meeting, as many as five sites could be selected for further detailed investigation.
They will announce the five finalist sites on Monday.
It says that the lander might topple over if it lands on a steep surface. But the surface gravity is less than 0.00001g. There is not much up and down on that comet. At the neck the gravity should be even more canceled out by the two opposing bodyparts, but boulders seem to have been collected there.
It’ll be amazing to see this thing up close, and it getting active with geysers or whatever.