2014
265 articles
Philae sends first image from comet
Europe's Philae lander radioed home Thursday, sending the first picture from the surface of a comet hours after a dramatic descent that apparently culminated in bouncing hundreds of meters across the distant world before coming to rest.
European space probe makes first landing on a comet
After making history as the first spacecraft to touch down on a comet, Europe's Philae lander collected data on the rugged alien world's environment and may have rebounded into space before settling back on the surface, scientists said Wednesday.
VideoMagnetic explosion probes make it to the Cape
Two probes joined an identical pair near their Florida launch site today for liftoff aboard an Atlas 5 rocket in March to study magnetic field explosions in space.
VideoVideo: Lander manager provides update on Philae status
Stephan Ulamec, head of the Philae lander team at DLR, provides an update after touchdown on the comet.
Comet lander leaves mothership, returns farewell images
Europe's comet-bound Philae probe released from its Rosetta orbiter mothership, snapping photos of the spacecraft that ferried the lander on a ten-year journey from Earth to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
VideoVideo: Mission control celebrates separation as anxiety builds over landing
Paolo Ferri, head of mission operations, describes the moment of relief when engineers confirmed the Philae comet lander separated from its Rosetta mothership. But anxiety is building over touchdown after telemetry data raised questions about the status of an important cold gas thruster designed to keep the lander from bouncing off the comet.
Comet landing timeline
Europe's Philae spacecraft is set to go for landing on a comet, a never-before-tried maneuver that includes a perilous seven-hour descent and an uncontrolled touchdown.
NASA’s first Orion capsule delivered to launch pad
NASA's Orion spacecraft took a road trip to the launch pad Tuesday night, arriving at Cape Canaveral's Complex 37 where a Delta 4-Heavy rocket awaits flight of the new capsule on Dec. 4.
Comet landing is a “go” despite thruster problem
A potential problem with a rocket thruster designed to keep the Philae lander from bouncing off comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko after touchdown Wednesday will make the probe's daring descent even more challenging, officials said.
VideoUnprecedented cosmic choreography essential to landing on comet
When a European landing probe goes for a daring touchdown on a comet Wednesday, officials say it would help to have a little luck on their side.