Feature Planetary Science

Year in review: Rosetta mission hits its target

Lander bounces onto comet, sends some data before snoozing

comet 67P/Churyumov­ Gerasimenko

UP CLOSE  Philae and Rosetta’s study of comet 67P/Churyumov­Gerasimenko may help scientists figure out whether comets brought the ingredients for life to Earth.

NAVCAM/ROSETTA/ESA; ESA, ATG medialab

By Ashley Yeager

- More than 2 years ago

4

With a hop and a skip, a robot called Philae bounded onto comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, perhaps a bit too eager to explore the alien world.