Berlin, November 13 – Scientists have successfully landed a probe on the surface of a comet in an historic first for space exploration, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Wednesday.
The lander, named Philae, left the Rosetta spacecraft earlier on Wednesday. After a seven hour descent, scientists at ESA confirmed its safe landing on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, just after 1600 GMT.
The landing is the climax of a 10-year mission and was fraught with risk, given the unknown surface terrain of the comet. The team had also discovered that the thruster on board the lander, designed to help it anchor to the surface, was not functioning correctly.
-INDIA TODAY
