Race is on to touch down on COMET 67P before WHIFFY SPACE DUCK breaks up

Sunday 9th November 2014 14:13 GMT Neil Barnes

It would be embarrassing

if the next news flash were along the lines of: "Well, we landed on 67P and, er, we broke it..."

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1. Sunday 9th November 2014 14:22 GMT Stoneshop
  
  Re: It would be embarrassing
  
  Is there a convention for numbering the resulting parts?
  
  "It appears Philae is dangling from 67P-LXVII"
  
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2. Sunday 9th November 2014 16:20 GMT John Gamble
  
  Re: It would be embarrassing
  
  "... and, er, we broke it..."
  
  Wait, no, that would be great! A new game: "Comet Crush".
  
  Pity the price is a bit extreme.
  
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Sunday 9th November 2014 14:18 GMT johnnymotel

which is roughly 20,000 kilometres in size....

what exactly does this mean?

Sounds like a lot of km for something 3.5x4km

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Sunday 9th November 2014 14:40 GMT Anomalous Cowshed

It's the most massive comet ever - it's clearly been eating its greens

But that's nothing mate. The other day I caught this fish, and it was at least half a mile long - honest!

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1. Monday 10th November 2014 10:12 GMT Elmer Phud
  
  Re: It's the most massive comet ever - it's clearly been eating its greens
  
  "and it was at least half a mile long - honest!"
  
  LIar! -- it was half a kilometer.
  
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Sunday 9th November 2014 18:28 GMT Osgard Leach

Philaen Groovy,

Really just hours to go now, magnificent.

I find the idea that we might actually SNAP it like a dry twig is adding another rich level of intrigue to the thing.

Perhaps we could have another mission to land on the other bit?

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1. Monday 10th November 2014 00:01 GMT Martin Budden
  
  Perhaps we could have another mission to land on the other bit?
  
  But wouldn't that just snap the other bit? This could go on forever*: for n landings there will always be n+1 bits.
  
  *although we'll need to get very good at making landers smaller and smaller
  
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  1. Monday 10th November 2014 00:29 GMT Anonymous Coward
    
    "But wouldn't that just snap the other bit?"
    
    Sure, but in the absence of a sufficient tidal gradient the bits won't fly apart. They'll just, sorta move around a little...seeking a better equipotiential surface...squashing the lander...
    
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Monday 10th November 2014 10:18 GMT Elmer Phud

Oh NO!

Meddling so-called 'scientists' playing with our fate.

They will break it in to bits which will then alter trajectory to point straight to Earth.

This will result in a GLOBAL CATASTROPHE where most of humanity will perish -exept those who planned it all along who will be safe in their bunkers.

It is TRUE -the dolphins told me via my guardian angel.

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Monday 10th November 2014 11:22 GMT Sweep

How long is a piece of string? We don't know ...

Wasn't that the problem with Beagle 2 as well?

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Wednesday 12th November 2014 01:55 GMT Anonymous Coward

I'm so excited about the landing that I decided to make a sleep aid video out of EM emissions from the comet in tribute to the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA_J_3xyt8g&list=UUF6R1ZDskjCeBMomUGCtxXw

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