The spacecraft started orbiting Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenk several weeks ago, will soon deploy a lander

Nov 5, 2014 20:51 GMT  ·  By

In early August, the European Space Agency went public with the news that Rosetta had reached its target and had officially become the first spacecraft ever to orbit a comet.

The Agency's Rosetta spacecraft and Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenk have really bonded over these past few weeks and, in just a few days, they will take their relationship to a whole new level.

Thus, in a statement issued just yesterday, the European Space Agency explains that, come November 12, the Rosetta spacecraft will send a lander to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenk.

Should things go according to plan, the lander, dubbed Philae, will part from the Rosetta spacecraft at 08:35 GMT / 09:35 CET. Scientists estimate that it will take the lander about 7 hours to reach its target and make contact with it.

“Events leading up to this historic milestone began on 28 October, with Rosetta starting a series of manoeuvres to put it onto the trajectory for lander separation,” the Agency explains.

“From late on 11 November to early on 12 November there will be five key Go/No-Go decisions before separation can be triggered,” it further details.

Having successfully landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenk, Philae will take its time collecting and analyzing samples. Its job will be to help scientists gain a better understanding of this celestial body's makeup.

Needless to say, the moment Philae lands on this comet will be a historic one. The European Space Agency will surely be open to sharing information with the public, so keep an eye on this page for updates.