Comet probe Philae now stable – scientists
BBC Online :
The robot probe Philae that made a historic comet landing is now stable after initially failing to attach to the surface, and is sending pictures.
Efforts are now being made to locate the precise position of the European Space Agency probe on the comet.
Engineers say it may have bounced hundreds of metres back off the surface after first touching down.
Scientists hope the probe will analyse the comet’s surface to yield insights into the origins of our Solar System.
The Esa’s Rosetta satellite carried Philae on a 6.4 billion-km (4bn-mile) journey to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
The robot probe, the size of a washing machine, was dropped from the satellite on Wednesday and spent seven hours travelling down to the icy body.
