back to article Comet 67P found to be COMPLETELY UNATTRACTIVE

The Philae Lander should soon see enough sun to resume operations on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenkoduring April or May, the European Space Agency's (ESA's) lander manager Stephan Ulamec told the European Geosciences Union General Assembly earlier this week. Philae hitched a ride to 67P aboard the Rosetta probe and descended …

  1. Winkypop Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Bounce or no bounce

    It's still amazing that humans landed a semi-autonomous device on a moving comet.

    All the science after that is a bonus.

    1. Mark 85

      Re: Bounce or no bounce

      I quite agree. Plus the lander already performed the science they were hoping for. If it comes back alive, any science it can do will be a bonus.

      I'm still irritated by the common media calling this a "failure" much like SpaceX's landing efforts. Even a "failure" is valuable but to call it a lesson or a learning experience doesn't sell papers.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Bounce or no bounce

        And on the other side there are all the annual "Mars probes designed to last 90 days still running after N+1 years"

    2. stucs201

      Re: on a moving comet.

      Well there seems to be a shortage of stationary comets to practice on...

      1. Florida1920

        Re: on a moving comet.

        Well there seems to be a shortage of stationary comets to practice on...

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2wA73QVWWI

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Stand back

    We need one of these:

    http://store-xkcd-com.myshopify.com/products/try-science

    with a Philae lander

  3. Gerard Krupa

    In related news

    The ESA are currently seeking a team of talented artists with experience using Vue 4, 3DS Max and Photoshop.

  4. Little Mouse
    Boffin

    theory of comet formation

    The evidence suggests that the comet is made of the same stuff they make bouncy balls and trampolines from.

    Or maybe bouncy castles. In retrospect, it might be a good thing that the harpoons malfunctioned.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    clumping

    Clumping actually occurs due to differing charges of matter and not just metallic elements. The charge of an object effects it's gravitational pull when met with oppositely charged objects or lesser charged objects. Thanks to Francis Nipher in 1917 for making this discovery!

    1. Michael Maxwell

      Re: clumping

      I'm afraid Nipher's "discovery" belongs in the Journal of Irreproducible Results.

  6. This post has been deleted by its author

  7. Wombling_Free
    Boffin

    I'm doing science and I'm still alive.

    Hopefully the slightly more jovial ESA have made Philae's radio "Hello, I'm here" beacon a looping recording of 'I'm still alive' sung by GLADoS from Portal.

  8. Roj Blake Silver badge

    Water is Attractive

    Water molecules have a decent electrical dipole, surely that offers a way for clumping to occur?

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