Is comet probe doomed? First picture from surface shows Philae has landed on its side in DARKNESS

UK Daily Mail ^ | November 13, 3014 | Jonathan O'Callaghan and Ellie Zolfagharifard and Rachel Reilly and Mark Prigg

[Sicon]

Yes, I agree that just getting there, even getting the probe on the surface intact and functional is an amazing accomplishment. I am well aware that launching probes and having them function properly in space (a very hostile environment), and at great distances from Earth, is difficult. I’m just saying that this is a pretty significant failure. And yes, also a success to some extent.

[Sicon]

Not to mention 10 years in space... A long time for equipment to survive, and for dormant equipment like thrusters and harpoons to work on cue.

[catfish1957]

When the Jews go to the moon the Muslims will start their own space program to cause a conflict.

Muzzies couldn't shoot a roman candle even if they were standing in a campfire.

[Does so]

Good pix from 10km:

http://spaceflightnow.com/2014/11/11/top-ten-rosetta-images-from-10km/

[ctdonath2]

The probe is on the comet, taking pictures, gathering solar energy, operating probes & analyzers, and communicating regularly with the orbiter & Earth. All less so than intended, but still way better than outright crashing or bouncing off & away.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

So, what exactly went right with this mission?

For starters, a man made probe traveled approximately 4 billion miles and landed on a comet.

Roughly the equivalent of hitting a speck of dust with a BB gun from a distance of 10 miles.

[cripplecreek]

We’ve got some pretty spectacular things going on in space too.

We’ll be getting our first look at Pluto in July. The Dawn probe visited Vesta for several months and is now approaching Ceres. The Juno craft is on its way to Jupiter.

[SunkenCiv]

Ridiculous headline, but thanks C19fan, and extra to APoD.

[Netz]

Good for Europe. America, under the current administration? The President thinks we should more Jihadis into space and thank them for giving us the Zero...America USED to lead in this field. Now she can't even launch humans into space unassisted by the CCCP. Pathetic.

[PIF]

It did not fall into a cave ... it was dragged in ...

[Army Air Corps]

Indeed. Many have quickly forgotten about NASA’s recent and current missions which are pacesetters.

[Ace the Biker]

“.... Philae is stuck on its side on comet 67P with two legs on the ground and one stuck in the air.”

Journalists.

You guys that attended Infantry Officers Candidate School in the 60’s will get this.

“I’m a dying, one legged female cockroach” LOL

[cripplecreek]

Those were just a few that haven’t even reached their objectives. There are dozens more ongoing missions that have been astounding successes.

Cassini has been orbiting Saturn for better than a decade (not to mention the Huygens landing on Titan). The Mercury Messenger mission has a decade under its belt. We have at least 2 Rovers operating on the surface of Mars and other orbiters overhead.

[Army Air Corps]

Bump.

[Rebelbase]

Second photo from the probe has been transmitted:

[HMS Surprise]

It appears to be a design flaw to me. Why attempt a perfect three-point landing on a circus tent? Why not just allow for adjustment regardless of the terrain, etc?

[JPG]

I can fix it...is it near the flag?

[RetSignman]

LOL!!

[minnesota_bound]

They should have brought a flashlight.

[minnesota_bound]

Or the harpoon fired and instead of digging in, it bounced off causing the probe to tip over. Also known as a “Wolowitz”.