Rosetta spacecraft is impacting the comet today!

This forum has been a bit sleepy about this remarkable event in space exploration, so here's the deal and some cool updates:

ESA's Rosetta spacecraft is impacting the comet 67P today!

Rosetta is now on a collision course with 67P C-G. Impact expected today (30 September) at 11:20 UT (+-20 min). The comet will impact the surface at about 1 meter per second, upon which Rosetta's systems will be shut down.
blogs.esa.int...

Rosetta has completed its final manoeuvre and is now on a collision course with Comet 67P/C-G.

A small thruster burn starting 20:48:11 UTC and lasting 208 seconds has set the craft on course towards its final destination.

The spacecraft's navigation cameras will soon take a set of five images to confirm that the spacecraft is on target, and to refine the predicted impact time.

You can follow the event at ESA Rosetta's Twitter page: twitter.com...

As the spacecraft is falling towards the comet, it's taking some nice closeup pictures:

From the distance of around 16 km


Taken 20 minutes ago, 8.9 km from the comet


Live broadcast from Mission Control: blogs.esa.int...

I think we will see some very interesting and unique images in the coming hours!

a reply to: wildespace

uh oh...I didnt follow this recently...what's the status ?

I seem to have missed something...collision course ? didnt it land on an asteroid and fell asleep or something like that ? or is that Mandela effect ?

or I got my space missions mixed up...

originally posted by: MarioOnTheFly
a reply to: wildespace

uh oh...I didnt follow this recently...what's the status ?

I seem to have missed something...collision course ? didnt it land on an asteroid and fell asleep or something like that ? or is that Mandela effect ?

or I got my space missions mixed up...

Rosetta carried a small lander (called Philae) which landed on the comet and fell "asleep" due to not having enough sunlight.

The status of Rosetta is pretty much in the links I gave, and I'll be posting some here as well.

Yep, the Mandela effect is at large among the public!

Those pic's are amazing, looks like there is gravity since rocks and dust is not floating around..

Where are you getting the images(real time, or updated) from? I followed the links, but no love.

Haha I realized, no "real time" only delayed.

That is a pretty interesting comet. It appears to have been two comets at one time, but so close that they exchanged material and over time became one comet. Super cool.

originally posted by: jappee
Where are you getting the images(real time, or updated) from? I followed the links, but no love.

Haha I realized, no "real time" only delayed.

Latest images are from Rosetta Twitter and Rosetta blog.

Here's the latest one, published 10 minutes ago and taken from 5.8 km above surface:

a reply to: wildespace

Ah yes...Philae...slipped my mind.

Thanks for the refresher.

Trying to find those pics on the link you posted...I'm not seeing it...

Help...

edit:

sorry just seen your above post. Ignore..

a reply to: wildespace

upon which Rosetta's systems will be shut down.

Is there a reason the systems will be shut down .

Unfortunately...cant do Twitter from work...keep posting 'em.

So their plan to divert the deadly comet was this hack job?

a reply to: wildespace

From your first pic in the OP..




I know I'm fantasizing here...but doesnt it look like a plant sprout ?

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: wildespace

upon which Rosetta's systems will be shut down.

Is there a reason the systems will be shut down .

They want to make sure there will be no radio interference in communications with other spacecraft out in the Solar System.

~~~

By the way, there's a new live stream from Mission Control, and it will cover the moment of the impact: Facebook Link, Livestream.com Link

I'm finding it unbelievable, All these recent pics of various planets, comets. Just seems more and more fantastical! What the heck! Spent a lot of time in the Canadian Rockies where you realize how tiny and insignificant you are. Seeing all these photos of Ceres, Europa and such is just mind boggling, lol, the vastness of space and it's mysteries are incredible. 50/50? Real or matrix? Something else? Crazy stuff

Thanks for the pics

a reply to: wildespace

Thanks so much for posting this! It's my day off work today, so I can tune in. I have it streaming now.

Rosetta has landed according to ESA Operations, pending confirmation. twitter.com... But the live stream says there's still some time to the landing...

One of the last images from Rosetta: www.esa.int...

a reply to: wildespace

Landing ?

I thought it was on a collision course ?

On live stream they are all clapping and smiling so it all must have gone as planned.

Landing and the loss of signal confirmed! (One of those rare moments when the loss of signal is a sign of success)

Comet from 1.2 km

originally posted by: MarioOnTheFly
a reply to: wildespace

Landing ?

I thought it was on a collision course ?

It's a gentle collision, or a rough landing, however you wanna look at it. Rosetta fell at 1 meters per second.

a reply to: MarioOnTheFly

I don't think Rosetta was designed for landing so this will be more of a crash with the amount of damage determined by the 'softness' or lack thereof of the surface where it impacts but it will certainly lose its alignment for phoning home.

Last pic at 1.2km and 1m/sec means it was still about 20 minutes from touchdown - enough time to send 1 more pic I wonder?
(Probably spent most of that time just sending the 1.2km pic)