Philae Makes the First Landing on a Comet
Philae landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko on November 12, 2014.
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The Event
Philae landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko on November 12, 2014. Delivered by ESA's Rosetta spacecraft, it became the first probe to land on a comet.
The Wider Story
The touchdown did not proceed exactly as planned. Its anchoring harpoons failed to fire, and the small lander bounced before coming to rest in a shaded location.
Putting the Event in Perspective
Philae still returned scientific measurements, while Rosetta continued studying the comet from above.
Reading the Historical Record
A reconstruction should distinguish the orbiter from the lander and should not show the probe securely anchored at its intended first touchdown site.
About the Historical Recreation
The accompanying visual is an illustrative reconstruction: an illustrative Philae lander descending slowly above the irregular surface of Comet 67P, no secure anchoring or invented images. It is not authentic archival footage, an eyewitness record or additional evidence for the event.
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