INTENSITY²
Start here => What's your crime? Basic Discussion => Topic started by: skyblue1 on November 13, 2014, 05:52:15 AM
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(CNN) -- This week's historic space probe landing on a comet 310 million miles from Earth wasn't exactly a poetic ballet, but it still worked.
Anchoring harpoons that were supposed to deploy when the Philae probe made impact didn't, lander manager Stephane Ulamec said Thursday.
The lander also came with screws to burrow into the surface. They didn't work either.
Not pretty, but still the lander came to rest on solid group. A success anyway you look at it.
European Space Agency scientists and executives high-fived and hugged one another when the landing was confirmed on Wednesday. Spacecraft have crashed into comets before, but this was the first soft, or controlled landing, in history.
'A place in the history books'
"Our ambitious Rosetta mission has secured a place in the history books: not only is it the first to rendezvous with and orbit a comet, but it is now also the first to deliver a lander to a comet's surface," Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's director general, said in a statement.
Many people, and not just the ones who work for ESA, are excited about what kind of information Philae will deliver.
"Rosetta is trying to answer the very big questions about the history of our solar system," said Matt Taylor, ESA Rosetta project scientist. "What were the conditions like at its infancy and how did it evolve? What role did comets play in this evolution? How do comets work?"
And science fiction writer Alastair Reynolds said: "This is science fiction made real in terms of the achievement of the mission itself, but Rosetta is also taking us a step closer to answering science fiction's grandest question of all: Are we alone?"
Rosetta took off from Earth 10 years ago carrying Philae and traveled 6.4 billion miles before arriving in early August at the comet.
The Philae lander separated from the orbiting Rosetta around 3:30 a.m. ET Wednesday and landed on the comet seven hours later
ESA lander system engineer Laurence O'Rourke told CNN that the orbiter Rosetta had to be in the right position to allow the lander craft, which had no thrusters, to "free fall" on the correct trajectory so it landed on the comet.
The lander weighs about 220 pounds and is the size of a domestic washing machine. The target comet is only four kilometers, or 2.5 miles, in diameter.
Named after Rosetta Stone
Shortly after landing was confirmed, the probe tweeted: "Touchdown! My new address: 67P!" Later, it tweeted again: "I'm on the surface but my harpoons did not fire."
What can we learn from comet landing?
The mission has historic allusions.
The spaceship is named after the Rosetta Stone, an inscribed piece of volcanic rock found in Egypt in 1799 that allowed scientists to decipher hieroglyphics and thus understand the ancient Egyptian culture, ESA said. The lander is named after an island in the Nile River where an obelisk was found that helped decipher the Rosetta Stone, ESA said.
Led by ESA with a consortium of partners including NASA, scientists on the Rosetta comet-chasing mission hope to learn more about the composition of comets and how they interact with the solar wind: high energy particles blasted into space by the sun.
The comet is currently 500 million kilometers (310 million miles) from Earth and pictures from the Rosetta mission to track it on its orbit around the sun have amazed scientists.
Philae is equipped with an array of experiments to photograph and test the surface of Comet 67P as well as to find out what happens when the roasting effect of the sun drives off gas and dust.
Built by a European consortium, led by the German Aerospace Research Institute, the landing probe has nine experiments.
According to details on ESA's Rosetta website, sensors on the lander will measure the density and thermal properties of the surface, gas analyzers will help detect and identify any complex organic chemicals that might be present, while other tests will measure the magnetic field and interaction between the comet and solar wind.
What is a comet and what will Rosetta discover
Philae also carries a drill that can drive 20 centimeters (8 inches) into the comet and deliver material to its on board ovens for testing.
Scientists are already pleased with progress of the mission, and they're wowed by what's already been accomplished.
ESA project scientist Matt Taylor said: "The orbiter will remain alongside the comet for over a year, watching it grow in activity as it approaches the sun, getting to within 180 million kilometers (112 million miles) in summer next year, when the comet will be expelling hundreds of kilograms of material every second."
Daniel Brown, an astronomy expert at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, said: "Apart from the amazing scientific results, the sheer challenge and ambition of such a mission is outstanding and illustrates how our space exploration of the solar system has become more advanced and successful. It gives us much to hope for in future missions."
"It's got an awesome profile -- the adventure of the decade-long journey necessary to capture its prey, flying past the Earth, Mars and two asteroids on the way," NASA's chief scientist, Ellen Stofan, told CNN: "No one has ever gotten data like Rosetta has gotten. No one has ever been able to land on a comet the way Philae just did."
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/13/world/comet-landing/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+(RSS%3A+World) (http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/13/world/comet-landing/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+(RSS%3A+World))
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Awesome. I followed the landing live, yesterday.
(http://www.tanyaharrisonofmars.com/philae.gif)
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Damn. The GIF doesn't play like it's supposed to. Try the URL instead, if you don't see the animation.
http://www.tanyaharrisonofmars.com/philae.gif (http://www.tanyaharrisonofmars.com/philae.gif)
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works good for me
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Awesome.
Agreed.
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The Who - Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy [Full Album] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dJYWDeX3L8#ws)
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Followed this most of yesterday, on and off. Don't you all think it's good to have something else than war and deadly illnesses fill the news?
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Yes.
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I keep reading the thread title as "Space probe makes bouncy bouncy." That's my contribution. :autism:
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I keep reading the thread title as "Space probe makes bouncy bouncy." That's my contribution. :autism:
:eyebrows:
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I think it's sad that its batteries are running dry. Hopefully there will be enough light to recharge the batteries when the comet gets closer to the Sun.
I spent some of last night reading up on other probes currently out there. The New Horizons mission to Pluto next year is something to look forward to. :)
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Forget about this historic landing and the fact that it's never been done before, the REAL important thing is that the lead scientist wore a sexist shirt that offended feminists!!! :GA: :GA: :GA:
Let's burn the scientist for this!!!!! :arrr: :voodoo:
Kim Kardashian Ass vs Feminism (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q18AO43S0cM#ws)
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Stupid bitches. :hahaha:
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Forget about this historic landing and the fact that it's never been done before, the REAL important thing is that the lead scientist wore a sexist shirt that offended feminists!!! :GA: :GA: :GA:
Let's burn the scientist for this!!!!! :arrr: :voodoo:
Kim Kardashian Ass vs Feminism (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q18AO43S0cM#ws)
The real mystery is where he got that shirt to begin with. :zoinks:
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:bounce:
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Forget about this historic landing and the fact that it's never been done before, the REAL important thing is that the lead scientist wore a sexist shirt that offended feminists!!! :GA: :GA: :GA:
Let's burn the scientist for this!!!!! :arrr: :voodoo:
Kim Kardashian Ass vs Feminism (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q18AO43S0cM#ws)
The real mystery is where he got that shirt to begin with. :zoinks:
A (female!) friend of his made it for him. You can buy one yourself, once they are no longer sold out: https://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/new-gunner-girls (https://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/new-gunner-girls)
(I legitly want one. Albiet not for that price. I'll wait till the cheap knockoffs start showing up on the internets.)
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Forget about this historic landing and the fact that it's never been done before, the REAL important thing is that the lead scientist wore a sexist shirt that offended feminists!!! :GA: :GA: :GA:
Let's burn the scientist for this!!!!! :arrr: :voodoo:
Kim Kardashian Ass vs Feminism (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q18AO43S0cM#ws)
The real mystery is where he got that shirt to begin with. :zoinks:
A (female!) friend of his made it for him. You can buy one yourself, once they are no longer sold out: https://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/new-gunner-girls (https://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/new-gunner-girls)
(I legitly want one. Albiet not for that price. I'll wait till the cheap knockoffs start showing up on the internets.)
Was reaction of my (feminist) kid too. "Awesome shirt!!!"
It was a cool shirt to celebrate in.
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What's funny is that I watched the live comet landing broadcast and didn't really think about the shirt, beyond noting it.
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I think the shirt was ugly and tacky, sure, but not offensive. Made him look maybe a little more ridiculous than I'd want to look at such an event if I was him, but hey, it got him attention. I feel it perpetuates the stereotype that scientists can't do fashion for crap, but I don't feel it perpetuates any kind of oppression or patriarchy or whatever they're trying to say.
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This should be a REALLY REALLY Happy time in his life.....instead........https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waORWg7JVKM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waORWg7JVKM)
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;)
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What's funny is that I watched the live comet landing broadcast and didn't really think about the shirt, beyond noting it.
The right attitude. Can't imagine him thinking a single thought on what the media would make of the shirt, what happened was way more interesting.
If there was a "crime" against "publicity policy" it is that he did not have a spindoctor/adviser spelling it out for him what to wear and what to say.
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This should be a REALLY REALLY Happy time in his life.....instead........https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waORWg7JVKM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waORWg7JVKM)
WTF?
::sigh::
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What's funny is that I watched the live comet landing broadcast and didn't really think about the shirt, beyond noting it.
The right attitude. Can't imagine him thinking a single thought on what the media would make of the shirt, what happened was way more interesting.
If there was a "crime" against "publicity policy" it is that he did not have a spindoctor/adviser spelling it out for him what to wear and what to say.
I guess the media have never seen a bunch of science nerds at work.
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What's funny is that I watched the live comet landing broadcast and didn't really think about the shirt, beyond noting it.
The right attitude. Can't imagine him thinking a single thought on what the media would make of the shirt, what happened was way more interesting.
If there was a "crime" against "publicity policy" it is that he did not have a spindoctor/adviser spelling it out for him what to wear and what to say.
I guess the media have never seen a bunch of science nerds at work.
They should actually look at it, and see how refreshing it is.
Media only seems to aim at image, not giving a shit about content or true passion.
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"media"
:LOL:
I'm sorry but lets be honest with ourselves, eh? You know who bullied that guy to tears. The media broadcast it, but did not commit the actions which broke that poor fellow on his very special day.
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If media hadn't thought there was a story in there, there would have been no bullying.
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If media hadn't thought there was a story in there, there would have been no bullying.
That is not quite right though
A few years ago, our then PM, Julia Gillard, admitted to being an Atheist. Some papers decided to have a go at her. They went to the people that they really thought would go to town on her, over her lack of religious faith.
They went to some of the bigger Christian Denomination leaders and an Islamic leader and a Jewish Rabbi. You know the result? Not what they were after. Indifference. The report was laughably boring. The religious leaders were not only saying that it was fine that a PM was an Atheist but that it was great she was not hiding the fact. They were simply indifferent.
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They didn't dig hard enough.
Faux can always make a big deal out of just about any bs they like.
Your little Aussie media is just not as effective as ours, Murdoch or no.
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If media hadn't thought there was a story in there, there would have been no bullying.
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;)
Don't tell me how to dress either :plus:
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If media hadn't thought there was a story in there, there would have been no bullying.
That is not quite right though
A few years ago, our then PM, Julia Gillard, admitted to being an Atheist. Some papers decided to have a go at her. They went to the people that they really thought would go to town on her, over her lack of religious faith.
They went to some of the bigger Christian Denomination leaders and an Islamic leader and a Jewish Rabbi. You know the result? Not what they were after. Indifference. The report was laughably boring. The religious leaders were not only saying that it was fine that a PM was an Atheist but that it was great she was not hiding the fact. They were simply indifferent.
Cool, but it doesn't disprove my point. I didn't say they always succeed.
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If media hadn't thought there was a story in there, there would have been no bullying.
I like your reply. +
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If media hadn't thought there was a story in there, there would have been no bullying.
I like your reply. +
Hahaha. Whiskey all the way. ;)
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Reading my newspaper yesterday, again there was a part about Rosetta and Philae. But the damned shirt I have not seen mentioned once. Maybe they did give it a few lines somewhere where it did not stand out.
I like my newspaper.
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We've landed on a comet an all they care about is a bloody shirt.
::sigh::
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Not my newspaper. All they cared about was the landing on the comet. And the tattoo. :P
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Good for you. Not every newspaper was interested in the actual landing.