Rosetta spacecraft's Philae lander at comet, illustration. The Rosetta spacecraft, which was carrying the Philae lander, was launched in March 2004 on

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Rosetta spacecraft's Philae lander at comet, illustration. The Rosetta spacecraft, which was carrying the Philae lander, was launched in March 2004 on a ten-year mission to travel to and study comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It rendezvoused with the comet on 6 August 2014. Philae successfully landed on the comet on 12 November 2014, but lost communication with Rosetta after three days. It bounced in the low gravity (as shown here) and landed in a location that prevented light hitting the solar panels that provided power. The landing position (on its side) also hindered communication. Philae was found less than a month before the end of the mission.

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Size: 7340px × 4762px
Photo credit: © MIKKEL JUUL JENSEN / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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