Scientists in the dark on comet-lander's location after it bounced

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The search for the exact location where Rosetta's Philae robot landed is, quite literally, leaving scientists in the dark.

After the lander bounced three times on the surface of a comet, European Space Agency (ESA) scientists believe it may have come to rest in the shadow of a cliff.

See also: Rosetta's ultimate mission: Landing on a comet

.@Philae2014 you’re in a shadow? How am I supposed to spot you there?! Our teams working hard to find you :)

— ESA Rosetta Mission (@ESA_Rosetta) November 13, 2014

ESA's Rosetta team initially said Philae landed in its target spot, but after further inspection, they realized it bounced into an undisclosed location. According to Stephan Ulamec, Philae lander manager, one bounce was as high as one kilometer off the surface of the comet. Read more...

More about Space, Us World, Comet, European Space Agency, and Rosetta



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