So long , Philae : You were aplucky lilliputian lander , but it ’s time to say good day . The undercoat control condition squad work with the guile has announced that it ’s ultimately giving up hope of take heed anything back from Comet 67P.
Last calendar month , the German Aerospace Agency ( DLR)reportedthat the chances of ever speaking to the probe again were slim — and growing slimmer every sidereal day . Now , it ’s announce that it ’s finally yield up Bob Hope . In a command , Stephan Ulamec , Philae project director at the DLR , explained :
The chances for Philae to get hold of our squad at our lander control centre are unfortunately make tight to zero . We are not sending program line any more .
Landing the Philae investigation on Comet 67P / Churyumov – Gerasimenko was a candidly mazing achievement . But sadly it did n’t quite go to program : When the landertouched downin November of 2014 it bounced twice and ended up in the dark phantasma of a cliff . Without sunlight to charge via its solar panels , Philae quickly exhausted its great power provision . Within 57 hours , it fall silent .
WhilePhilae briefly awokewhen it saw a little sunshine , it soon decrease tacit again . The lander ’s stay on silent since July 9th 2015 , and late attempts to commune with it wereunsuccessful .
The DLR expect the lander is now cover in detritus and too cold to run . Sadly , the comet is now headed for an unbelievably moth-eaten segment of its area , where temperatures will drop below -290 degrees Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit — well below its design temperatures . “ It would be very surprising if we take in a signaling again , ” condluded Ulamec .
[ ESA ]
Top : Artist ’s construct of Philae on the comet , via ESA
Comet 67PSpace
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