The search continues for Philae on the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko

The fate of the Philae probe, asleep on the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, remains unknown. But in the past few days, the ground crew has received several new ideas, allowing to reconstruct the path of the probe and its current position. First, a 3D image of the comet's surface was made thanks to data from a distance of two miles an hour before landing: Phil made a couple of photos using the Rosetta Lander Imaging System (ROLIS).

The two-second sound file recorded during the contact with the surface helped the scientists to assume that the surface of the comet is covered with several centimeters of dust, under which is a more solid layer of ice chips. After that, he caught and collected several samples, some of which are organic and contain carbon - the basis of life on Earth.


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And then he fell asleep ...



The team continues to work on finding the probe using Rosette cameras and radio equipment called CONSERT. Thanks to this equipment, ESA has already managed to narrow the search location to several small surface areas, which will simplify the work. Once the probe is found, scientists will be able to analyze the data, as well as find out whether it is possible in some way to pull it out of the shadow in order to charge it from the sun.