Science

Comet lander Philae ‘silent’ for 10 days

Position shift making it hard to communicate with probe, European Space Agency says

A file picture released by the European Space Agency of an artists impression of Philae. Photograph: Medialab/AFP/Getty Images.
A file picture released by the European Space Agency of an artists impression of Philae. Photograph: Medialab/AFP/Getty Images.
Mon Jul 20 2015 - 11:30

The Philae spacecraft which landed on a comet last year may have shifted position, making it harder to communicate with the probe, scientists said.

The European Space Agency said it has not received data from the lander since July 9th.

Philae's project manager Stephan Ulamec said the pattern of sunlight on the lander's solar panels appears to have changed, possibly due to a slight shift in position triggered by gas coming out of the comet.

Undated handout photo issued by the European Space Agency of a close up image of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko taken at a distance of 130 km using the OSIRIS camera on the Rosetta spacecraft. Photograph: ESA/PA Wire.
Undated handout photo issued by the European Space Agency of a close up image of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko taken at a distance of 130 km using the OSIRIS camera on the Rosetta spacecraft. Photograph: ESA/PA Wire.

One of Philae’s two transmission units also appears to be faulty.

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Scientists plan to send further commands to the lander and hope it responds again, as has happened before.

The mission will now focus on the spacecraft Rosetta, which is following comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko that Philae is on as it goes around the sun.

AP