Rosetta spacecraft

The main control room of the European Space Operation Center in Darmstadt, Germany, is pictured Friday during the controlled descent of the European Space Agency space probe Rosetta onto the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Rosetta Crashes Into Comet, Bringing Historic Mission To End

9:58am September 30, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

The Rosetta spacecraft has been orbiting the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko comet for two years. Now scientists have ended the mission, and the spacecraft has lost contact with Earth forever.

Rosetta's mission control specialists at the European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany, were jubilant on Jan. 20, 2014, after getting back the first signals that their mission's probe had "woken up" on the comet's surface.

Scientists To Bid A Bittersweet Farewell To Rosetta, The Comet Chaser

10:24pm September 29, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

To cap its 12-year scientific voyage, the Rosetta spacecraft will take a final plunge Friday. Scientists will signal Rosetta to crash into the surface of a comet — and gather data all the way down.

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Photos taken on Friday, from more than a mile and a half from the comet, show Philae's three-foot-wide body and two of its three legs. The April 2015 image on the top right shows the comet overall, with the approximate location of Philae marked with a red

Silent, But Not Lost: Philae Lander's Final Resting Place Located On Comet

1:12pm September 05, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

The lander was the first to ever set down on a comet — but couldn't get enough sunlight to recharge its batteries, and went into hibernation. New images show Philae stuck in a crack.

The Philae lander, seen here heading to a comet's surface after leaving the Rosetta spacecraft in 2014, isn't expected to send any more signals, the European Space Agency says.

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History-Making Philae Lander Faces 'Eternal Hibernation' On Comet

12:10pm February 12, 2016

by Bill Chappell

A tweet issued by the European Space Agency includes a cartoon showing the Rosetta orbiter thinking about its little lander taking a nap on the comet's cold surface.

The Philae lander beamed back images showing one of its three feet on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This photo is compiled from two images.

Comet Lander Wakes Up, Calls Home, After Long Sleep

5:44am June 15, 2015

by Scott Neuman

A little sunlight applied to solar panels proved the cure for what ailed the European Space Agency's Philae lander, which had been dormant from lack of power since November.

An image of Comet 67P/C-G taken on Feb. 6 from a distance of about 77 miles to the comet center.

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PHOTO: Rosetta Sends 'An Impressive New Perspective' On Comet

12:45pm February 11, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

The European Space Agency probe has sent a new image of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko from about 77 miles away.

Close-ups of a curious surface texture on Comet 67P nicknamed "goosebumps," all of them at a scale of around 3 meters and spanning areas more than 100 meters.

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Goosebumps And Gas: New Data From Rosetta Probe Describes Comet

9:16pm January 22, 2015

by Bill Chappell

We're learning more about the comet that a European Space Agency paired up with its Rosetta probe last fall. For one thing, it has "goosebumps" on steep cliff faces. It's also highly porous.

The Rosetta spacecraft, which orbits the comet, captured this series of images of the Philae lander bounding off the surface. The precise spot the lander came to a stop remains unknown.

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Comet Lander's Big Bounce Caught On Camera

7:41pm November 17, 2014

by Geoff Brumfiel

An orbiting spacecraft caught the Philae lander bounding on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. The lander sent home some scientific data before its batteries ran out.

Scientist Matt Taylor, left, said "I made a big mistake" by wearing a shirt featuring scantily clad women. Taylor spoke at Friday's update by the European Space Agency on the Philae lander.

'Shirtstorm' Leads To Apology From European Space Scientist

1:38pm November 14, 2014

by Bill Chappell

As the Rosetta mission made history by putting a lander on a comet, one of its leading scientists drew wide criticism for wearing a shirt featuring lingerie-clad women.

Engineers at the European Space Agency fear that they won't be able to communicate with the Philae lander after Friday. Here, lander manager Stefan Ulamec (left, in foreground) watches as data confirming the comet landing arrived Wednesday.

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Comet Lander Deploys Drill, But Could Lose Power Tonight

12:38pm November 14, 2014

by Bill Chappell

Fearing that Philae's batteries won't last past Friday, engineers are looking at possible ways to help it get more power from its solar panels. One ray of hope: Its comet is heading toward the sun.