Philae lander module. Image of the Philae lander module as it descends towards the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Philae was carried onboard the Ros
Philae lander module. Image of the Philae lander module as it descends towards the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Philae was carried onboard the Rosetta spacecraft, launched in March 2004 on a 10 year mission to study 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It is the first mission designed to land on a comet. Rosetta, which rendezvoused with the comet on 6th August 2014, is carrying instruments to map the comet's surface and probe its core, as well as the Philae lander. Philae landed on the comet on 12th November 2014 and will perform detailed analysis of the comet's surface, giving an insight into conditions during the formation of the solar system some billion years ago. Imaged by the Rosetta spacecraft.
Size: 2850px × 2850px
Photo credit: © ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA/DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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