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For the first time, the human race has landed a space probe... on a comet!
The Monkey Buddha Archives:
The mission was actually launched 10 years ago & the lander finally touched down today.
Thanks to brilliant scientists & engineers, we have made contact with a 3-mile wide comet, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, that orbits our sun.
This event will open the door to deep-space mining & other technologies that will eventually allow us to travel to other planets & stars.
The
animation below shows the circuitous route the Rosetta probe had to take to
get to the comet. It used planetary gravity to save energy & went
into hibernation for a couple years as it approached it's target. The
planning & understanding of orbital mechanics that went into this is
mind-blowing.
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