Comment 2V1Q Re: Interesting

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Philae lander: touchdown on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

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Interesting (Score: 1)

by axsdenied@pipedot.org on 2014-11-13 12:55 (#2V1E)

UPDATE: A magnetic sensor aboard Philae apparently recorded three separate landings, one each at 15:33, 17:26, and 17:33 UTC. That suggests the first bounce was nearly two hours long.

Re: Interesting (Score: 1)

by zafiro17@pipedot.org on 2014-11-13 13:23 (#2V1J)

Given the lag in radio communications, I think that means that at the time the scientists were hugging and giving high-fives, Philae was actually airborn again - kind of neat to think about. Seems the comet has a very weak gravitational field and it's a non-negligible risk Philae could just drift off the surface again.

This is the coolest thing ever, and I'm stunned how little coverage it's getting in mainstream American media. This is for me like the moon landing for our generation.

Re: Interesting (Score: 1)

by axsdenied@pipedot.org on 2014-11-13 14:28 (#2V1Q)

Unfortunately Kardashian's butt is a much better headline than landing on a comet.

They should have said that the comet/asteroid was on the collision course with Earth and that Bruce Willis was on the lander to blow it up :-)

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