FRANCE: The status of the refrigerator-sized spacecraft is unclear for now as the European Space Agency tries to activate a set of commands that could help Philae wake up and re-commence its scientific measures.
Until July 24, Rosetta will orbit a path that may allow it to contact the lander and then it will fly over the southern hemisphere of the comet to observe it with its own 11 instruments. Despite the loss, the orbiter continues to characterize and soak up as much information as possible about the comet as it nears its closest encounter with the Sun, known as perihelion.
“Philae is obviously still functional, because it sends us data, even if it does so at irregular intervals and at surprising times”, said Stephan Ulamec, a scientist with the German Aerospace Agency and project manager for the Philae lander.
The comet lander went into deep sleep as it was deprived of sufficient sunlight on 67P/Churyumov- Gerasimenko and after months, it again started its work.
After landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in November, Philae unexpectedly bounced into a shadow – a shadow cast either by a crater or outcropping. Ulamec believes there is enough time to reconnect with the lander before the comet gets too far from the sun and conditions get too dark, in September or October.
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