Publicité
Comet lander shuts down as batteries go flat after sending data
Par
Partager cet article
Comet lander shuts down as batteries go flat after sending data
A pioneering robotic spacecraft shut down on today after radioing results of its first and probably last batch of scientific experiments from the surface of a comet, scientists said.
Batteries aboard the European Space Agency’s
Carried aboard the orbiting Rosetta mothership,
Upon contacting the comet’s unexpectedly hard surface, it bounced back up into space twice then came to rest at a still-unknown location about 1 km (0.6 mile) from its original target.
Photos and other data relayed by
Before dying,
Its last task was to reposition itself so that as the comet soars toward the sun,
Scientists are particularly interested in learning about the chemical composition of any organic molecules in samples drilled out from the comet’s body.
Comets are believed to be pristine remnants from the formation of our solar system some 4.6 billion years ago. They contain rock and ice that have preserved ancient organic molecules like a time capsule and may provide insight into how the planets and life evolved.
Rosetta in August became the first spacecraft to put itself into orbit around a comet. It will accompany the comet as it travels toward the sun for at least another 13 months.
Publicité
Les plus récents