Rosetta Comet Landing: LIVE-Stream, Countdown & Mission Updates

Oh wow !

I had no idea that the probe is actually going to be hitching a ride for a full year !

Sweet... there's going to be a ton of awesome info being fed to us throughout that timeframe.

Exciting times indeed.

originally posted by: Agit8dChop
Couple of new pics

one after release of the craft

another of the probe with its antenna deployed floating away

Good stuff, Agit8dChop ... let's hope this is just the beginning, with a huge collection of picture postcards from 'Chury' coming our way very soon!

i saw the probe pic, beautiful
one hour estimated for landing!!!

originally posted by: CranialSponge
Oh wow !

I had no idea that the probe is actually going to be hitching a ride for a full year !

Sweet... there's going to be a ton of awesome info being fed to us throughout that timeframe.

Exciting times indeed.

Hopefully the Philae lander will survive for a while, although the environment on a comet can get quite hostile as it approaches the Sun. The Philae lander is not planned to survive the trip towards the Sun, but mission planners may be pleasantly surprised if it does.

However, the Rosetta spacecraft itself (the "Mother ship" if you will) will also follow the comet for the next year, as the comet "awakens" as it gets closer to the Sun.

So while we're waiting: Predictions.

How do you think touch down will go?

Perfectly? Unable to anchor? Big, electrical blast from the comet? Trap doors open up and ET sucks it in since the comet is really a UFO?

Seriously, let's here what y'all hope or predict.

I'm hoping for a perfect landing and jaw dropping pictures later.

originally posted by: eriktheawful
So while we're waiting: Predictions.

Great idea. I'll start with the "optimistic take" that the harpoons will work and suffice, holding on tight to 'chury' while managing to pull Philae slowly but steadily to the surface where it'll acquire a breathtaking panorama.

I predict, however, that said panorama will later become the subject of many conspiracies, ranging from the infamous 'chury spaceship theory' up to questions about whether or not we were actually the first to land there! OK, I'll stop here and just hope that everything's gonna work out fine for Philae!

I'll leave it up to others on here to present the more "sinister" scenarios ...

a reply to: jeep3r

I'm going to be waiting to see who posts the first "Look at this object on the surface of Chury!!"

I predict many threads to come.

The science and mathematics behind this mission are unfathomable to me..Sling shotting the sun just the right amount to match the speed of the asteroid,getting into orbit around it,never mind the landing all done with 10year old computer programming.
Just amazing.
I was saying to my bro,wouldn't it be amazing to go back in time and explain to our distant ancestors that their way of marking off notches on a stick would one day develop into a system of knowledge that lets us send men and machines to outer space...

It would have blown their minds I bet.

Come on Rosetta and Philae!
Fingers crossed for a perfect landing.

I've been so excited for this moment for months. I can't believe it's really happening. 5 minutes to go! Cheers everyone.

a reply to: ZeroReady

they are all staring at the screen with no commentary...driving me crazy!

OMG fingers crossed.
Good luck likkle space ship dude.

a reply to: rockpaperhammock

They're nervous as all get-out.... Not surprisingly.

Wow, hope the touchdown is perfect and CIVA can start operations ASAP!

its been silent the last half hour, what gives?

any second they're gunna burst into elation..


c'mon..... touchdown.......

originally posted by: rockpaperhammock
a reply to: ZeroReady

they are all staring at the screen with no commentary...driving me crazy!

plus, for me anyway, languages I cannot understand...i guess when they all cheer, we will know

Yes! SUCCESS!! The Philae Lander has touched down safely!

What an incredible achievement. Congratulations to everyone involved!

Image screenshot from the rosetta live feed

they did it!!! they just cheered!!

it's down...What way up though..??

Yeeeeeehaaa!
Looks like a textbook landing they are jumping up and down!!

originally posted by: Soloprotocol
it's down...What way up though..??

I think the touchdown confirmation is supposed to be "anchors planted on surface".