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Archive => Archived Boards => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Rudolph Hucker on November 13, 2014, 09:01:10 PM
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I'm sure many like me find the Comet landing (although it is far from perfect) incredible.
Planned over 10 years ago with just the computer power available to them then. Millions of miles away, a 1-2 mile object travelling at thousands of miles an hour. A signal delay of about an hour I believe... Exceeds my mental capacity (not that that's difficult).
Even the first bounce - 2 hours! That takes slow motion to new levels surely...
RH.
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It is, indeed, awesome. I've spent far too many hours glued to the ESA website in the last two days: real achievement.
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For me this is up there with the moon landings as a technical achievement. It was a truly moving moment when the ESA team realised they had achieved a successful landing.
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Unfortunately Philae has gone into standby mode because it ultimately landed in shade. Fingers crossed it wakes up in years to come as the comet orbit nears the sun (or spins favourably on it's axis)
However looks like it sent enough back to keep the scientists busy for a while yet...
RH.