The Rosetta Mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Rosetta mission in 2004 with the intention of investigating Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and illuminating the Solar System's beginnings. In the hopes that it would help solve some of the puzzles surrounding the birth of the Solar System, the mission was given the name Rosetta after the Rosetta Stone, an ancient Egyptian artefact that assisted scientists in deciphering hieroglyphics.
 |
| Credit :- DLR |
The Rosetta spacecraft was launched in March 2004 and then began an intricate voyage across the Solar System, passing by Mars, Earth, and two objects in the asteroid belt before reaching Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in August 2014. The spacecraft employed a number of gravity aids and difficult manoeuvres to get on the right trajectory and reach the comet at the right speed.
The Design of Rosetta Mission
 |
| Credit :- ResearchGate |
The Rosetta orbiter and the Philae lander were intended to be the two main parts of the Rosetta mission. The mission of the orbiter was to circle Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in order to map its surface, investigate its composition, and track its activity as it got closer to the Sun. On the other hand, the Philae lander was intended to settle on the comet's surface and carry out a thorough scientific examination of its make-up and physical characteristics.
Philae: The Little Spacecraft That Landed on a Comet
The first soft landing on a comet was accomplished by the tiny spacecraft Philae on November 12, 2014, making history. The European Space Agency (ESA) team of scientists and engineers spent years planning, designing, and carrying out this amazing feat.
The 2004 launch of the Rosetta mission, whose objective was to examine Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, included Philae. The name of the spacecraft is derived from an Egyptian island in the Nile River that formerly housed a temple honouring the goddess Isis. Philae was a representation of exploration and discovery, just like its namesake.
 |
| Credit :- NASA |
The Rosetta spacecraft travelled through space for ten years, gaining speed by making loops around Mars and the Earth, before eventually catching up to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. In order to gather more information about the comet's makeup and behaviour, Rosetta arrived at the comet on August 6, 2014, and started orbiting it.
While waiting for the ideal moment to separate from Rosetta and touch down on the comet's surface, Philae remained connected to the spacecraft. This was a difficult undertaking due to the comet's stony, uneven surface, unexpected terrain, and low gravity. However, the ESA team had built a comet named Philae with a variety of instruments that could measure the composition of the comet's surface, as well as its temperature, magnetic field, and other properties. and subsurface to be resilient and adaptable.
The Design of Philae
The Rosetta mission of the European Space Agency, which sought to investigate Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and understand the genesis of the Solar System, included the design and construction of the Philae Lander. By examining samples of the comet's substance and reporting data to the Rosetta orbiter, the Philae lander was created to investigate the comet's surface and subsurface.
The development of a spacecraft that could safely touch down on the uneven, rocky surface of a comet, which has a low gravity, was one of the most difficult design difficulties for Philae. To overcome this difficulty, Philae was designed with a special anchoring device that would enable it to adhere to the surface of the comet and remain there throughout its mission.
 |
| Credit :- Phys.org |
The lander also had a variety of scientific tools, including a drill for taking samples from below the comet's surface, a gas chromatograph, a tiny camera, and a mass spectrometer. These devices were created to examine the chemical and physical characteristics of the comet's constituent parts, revealing important details about its make-up and origins.
The Philae lander was powered by a rechargeable battery that was planned to survive for roughly 60 hours before needing to be recharged by solar panels. However, Philae bounced during the landing and wound up in an area with little sunlight, making it challenging for it to recharge its battery and limiting the amount of information it could send back to Earth.
Despite these challenges, the Philae lander successfully completed its mission on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, providing scientists with valuable data on the composition and properties of the comet. The design and construction of Philae represent a remarkable achievement in space exploration and demonstrate the ingenuity and determination of the scientists and engineers who made it possible.
Landing of Philae on Comet
The team finally granted Philae the go-ahead to separate from Rosetta and descend to the comet's surface on November 12, 2014. The spaceship gently approached the surface for seven stressful hours while utilising engines and harpoons to stabilise itself and prevent bouncing off the ground.
 |
| Credit :- BBC |
Eventually, Philae made a soft touchdown on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, making space history's first soft landing on a comet. As the ESA team realised that their years of sacrifice had paid off in this moment of success, they burst into cheers and applause.
Benefits Of Philae
Philae returned a lot of information and pictures from the comet's surface over the course of the following few days. It was found that the comet was composed of a complex mixture of organic molecules and other chemicals, and that the surface was considerably harder and more porous than anticipated. Scientists have learned a great deal about the early Solar System and the beginnings of life on Earth thanks to the data collected by Philae and Rosetta.
Cost of Philae
The estimated cost of the Philae lander, which is a component of the European Space Agency's Rosetta project, is 220 million euros. This amount includes the cost of the spacecraft's design, development, production, and launch. This cost also covers ground operations and mission control for the Philae lander's trip to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Today, Philae remains on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, silent and still, as the comet continues on its journey through space. But its legacy lives on, as a symbol of human ingenuity and the power of scientific exploration. The little spacecraft that landed on a comet will forever be remembered as one of the greatest achievements in the history of space exploration.