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ESA's Rosetta Probe Passed 1st Test

Posted by Hemos on from the collecting-the-data dept.

be_stress writes "The BBC are reporting that ESA's Rosetta Probe has passed the first phase of its mission. It has currently made observations of Comet C/2002 T7. This is just the first part of a much bigger mission to intercept Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and release a probe to study the chemistry of the comet. The Rosetta probe will enter a quiet 'cruise-mode' until September, when th second stage of commissioning will commence."

14 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Did they lower the bar? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    The BBC are reporting that ESA's Rossetta Probe has passed the first phase of it's mission.

    After the Beagle debacle, is it safe to assume that phase one was "don't splatter the craft across the surface of what it's supposed to be studying?"

    1. Re:Did they lower the bar? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Ask again when NASA has completed phase one for the next generation space shuttle. Which should be "make sure the crew gets back on earth in one piece."

    2. Re:Did they lower the bar? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Interesting that the post alluidng to failings of the US space program gets a troll rating and the post alluding to failings of the British one doesn't. I guess expecting unbiased moderators would be a bit much.

    3. Re:Did they lower the bar? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Really the Beagle debacle was a ESA fiasco but only in the Public Relations department. Beagle was not a ESA project, it was a english project that the ESA accept to transport to Mars. A big mistake in my opinion, because the people (like the parent post) now associate Beagle with ESA.

      Well, I suppose they have learnt the lesson.

    4. Re:Did they lower the bar? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Funny and all, but it conveniently forgets that ESA's Mars Mission, the Mars Express orbiter, made it into orbit around Mars without a hitch and is currently returning some stunning science data (and pretty pictures). There was the under-funded, built at the last minute Beagle along for the ride but that wasn't a ESA project as such. ESA's space probes don't have a habit of splattering themselves into anything.

    5. Re:Did they lower the bar? by Jugalator · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Are you still living in the cold war, thinking everything in space is a competition?

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  2. "Rossetta"? by Tar-Palantir · · Score: 5, Informative

    Editors, please... the name of the probe is "Rosetta" (as in the famous stone).

    1. Re:"Rossetta"? by WormholeFiend · · Score: 4, Funny

      obviously, in true Slashdotter tradition, the poster didnt even RTFA he linked to...

    2. Re:"Rossetta"? by mindriot · · Score: 2, Informative

      Some interesting, more detailed information about Rosetta's activities can be found on the Lander Control Center's page. An overview of the commissioning activities is also available. It's a bit terse and sometimes not really up-to-date, but you can see some technical details. For your information, from the latter page on the commissioning activities:

      • Block 1: Main Subsystems. 12.03. - 17.03.2004
      • Block 2: Remaining subsystems and Experiments on HPC / CIU main. 09.04. - 15.04.2004
      • Block 3: Remaining subsystems and Experiments on LPC / CIU red.; Lander internal interference tests; Consert Instrument Clock Drift Correction. 16.05. - 25.05.2004
      • Block 4: Lander unit combined operation; Lander/Orbiter CONSERT Solar Panel Influence (Pointing Scenario). 03.10. - 05.10.2004
      • Block 5: Romap listening to RPC test on Orbiter level (Interference Scenario). 19.10. - 27.10.2004
      • Block 6: Lander cruise preparation. 27.10. - 28.10.2004

      So I assume we're between Block 3 and Block 4 now.

  3. Yikes! Heavy Traffic! by AndroidCat · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Initially it sounded like the probe was in comet rush-hour traffic: making observations of one comet, zipping over to another one to get samples... However I relaxed when I saw that it was making observations from 95 million km away. (The Moon is roughly 380,000 km away.)

    Cancel that call to Bruce Willis!

    --
    One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  4. comet linear? by hkfczrqj · · Score: 5, Informative

    It has currently made observations of Comet C/2002 T7, or Comet Linear.

    It's not THE Comet Linear, it's just another comet found with the LINEAR research program.

  5. In related News... by k4_pacific · · Score: 2, Funny

    Representative from the planet Pantopia announced today that writings on the Rosetta Probe have given them enough information to effectively decipher the Roman alphabet.

    --
    Unknown host pong.
  6. Observation is for wimps, let's blow it up! by GPLDAN · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Deep Impact project is going to fly alongside a comet, and shoot at it, making parts break off for further observation. It's the first drive-by shooting in space.

  7. Re:Grammar by HeghmoH · · Score: 4, Informative

    In British English, companies are considered to be plural; you're talking about many people, even though they are contained within a single organization. So in the US you say something like, "Apple is dying", in the UK you'd say "Apple are dying". No grammar problem.

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