AbstractBeing successfully launched on March 2, 2004, ESA’s cornerstone mission “ROSETTA” (originally planned to be launched in January 2003 to comet Wirtanen) is en route. It will also bring the 100kg Lander “Philae” with a scientific payload of 26.7kg to the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. After a first scientific sequence in 2014 it will operate for a considerable fraction of the cometary orbit around the sun (between 3 AU and at least 2 AU).The Lander, after separation, is an autonomous spacecraft powered with solar cells and using the ROSETTA Orbiter as a telemetry relais to Earth. The main scientific objectives are the in situ investigation of the chemical, elemental, isotopic and mineralogical composition of the comet, study of the physical properties of the surface material, analyze the internal structure of the nucleus, observe temporal variations (day/night cycle, approach to sun), study the relationship between the comet and the interplanetary matter and provide ground truth data for the Orbiter instruments. Ten experiments with a number of sub-experiments are foreseen to fulfil these objectives.Philae is operated (via ESOC) by the Lander Control Centre (LCC) at DLR and the Science Operations and Navigation Centre (SONC) at CNES. In this paper we present the flight status of the scientific instruments as it is known after in-orbit commissioning.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Philae (Rosetta Lander): Experiment status after commissioning


    Contributors:
    Biele, J. (author) / Willnecker, R. (author) / Bibring, J.P. (author) / Rosenbauer, H. (author)

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 38 , 9 ; 2025-2030


    Publication date :

    2006-09-14


    Size :

    6 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English





    Philae (Rosetta Lander): Experiment status after commissioning

    Biele, J. / Willnecker, R. / Bibring, J. P. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006


    Rosetta Lander – Philae: Landing preparations

    Ulamec, Stephan | Online Contents | 2015


    Rosetta Lander – Philae: Landing preparations

    Ulamec, Stephan / Biele, Jens / Blazquez, Alejandro et al. | Elsevier | 2014