European researchers to land space probe on comet

According to the European Space Agency, as well as multiple media reports, including one from the BBC, the ESA is set to reveal the primary landing site for Rosetta’s lander Philae on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

“The shape of the comet is a little bit unexpected. We consider it at the same time fantastic, a unique object. On the other side there’s some headache in identifying some proper landing sites because of the unusual shape,” said Andrea Accomazzo, Rosetta Flight Director.

“The day when we do the landing we will not know how the comet is behaving on this day. We cannot do a weather forecast of the comet. We cannot do an activity forecast of the comet. This is what’s posing the highest risk of the operation,” Accomazzo said.

“Scientifically, it’s very entertaining. It has aspects of a number of different comets wrapped in one. It offers so much scientifically but also it’s a massive challenge technologically,” said Matt Taylor, Rosetta Project scientist.

Agencies/Canadajournal

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