Why are the pics all black and white? WTF were they thinking?
How much color would there be?
It was launched 10 years ago. They didn't have color film back then.Why are the pics all black and white? WTF were they thinking?
Perhaps not a lot, but for crying out loud. They can land on a fucking space rock 300 million miles away, but they can't take a color photo? WTF is this? The 1920's?
It was launched 10 years ago. They didn't have color film back then.
Yeah, I guess not. Seriously, I think this is far more embarrassing than the stupid spear rod thingies breaking. Land on a comet 300 million miles away, skip around a little break a few things? Yeah, that's understandable. Fail to take a color photo when you finally get there? Now that shits fucking inexcusably, stupidly priceless.
I find it amazing how they can calculate that trajectory, using gravity of Earth and other celestial bodies. Of course, they have a lot of experience. But still. Wonders of science.
Part of it could also be bandwidth. Transmitting data that far takes a very latency-tolerant and slow protocol. They have a lot more data that needs to transmit too, so they can't clog the channel sending color just to satisfy us while neglecting the tragically short window they have for other scientific data.
Considering that the average human can barely merge into traffic without murdering someone... Yeah this is pretty freaking incredible. I watched that gif several times and was more amazed each time. Yay science!
Not sure if srs...Yeah, I guess not. Seriously, I think this is far more embarrassing than the stupid spear rod thingies breaking. Land on a comet 300 million miles away, skip around a little break a few things? Yeah, that's understandable. Fail to take a color photo when you finally get there? Now that shits fucking inexcusably, stupidly priceless.
Scientists working on Philae comet lander say it is time to take more risks with the probe, amid fears its battery might die in hours.
There is an expectation that the robot may be entering its last day of useable power on the ice object 67P.
The European Space Agency (ESA) will upload commands today to tell Philae to deploy its drill.
The hope is that it can pull up some samples to analyse in the robot's onboard laboratories.
It is a high risk activity, however, because the torque could destabilise the delicately placed lander.
Last contact
Philae is sitting in the shadow of a cliff, and will not get enough sunlight to work beyond Saturday.
Friday night's radio contact with the orbiting Rosetta satellite will be the last that engineers have a reasonable confidence will work.
The team is still not sure where on the surface the probe came to rest after bouncing upon landing on Wednesday.
Scientists have been examining radio transmissions between the orbiter and the lander to see if they can triangulate a position.
This work has now produced a "circle of uncertainty" within which Philae almost certainly lies.
Follow-up imagery by Rosetta should now find the little craft, says Paolo Ferri, the head of mission operations at the European Space Agency.
He is still confident that engineers can find an answer to Philae's power shortage.
One solution that will be tried on Friday is to turn the main body of the robot to show the largest of its solar panels to the Sun.
The idea is that this could eke out some more life for the lander.
How much longer does it have?
Maybe they could collaborate with JPL in the future. They are by far the masters of EDL maneuvers.
There was some collaboration with NASA but it wasen't the maneuvering that failed, it was the hardware. The lander had a tiny thruster on it's top that was supposed ti fire upon touchdown and keep it in place, while small drill were to simultaneously anchor it in place, I'm not sure if that faild too or without the thruster operating they were afraid to deploy them. People have to keep in mind that 10 years is a long time in the icy cold of deep space which is I agree with other posters that it should have been nuclear-powered, that eliminates any issues with solar orientation right there. Heck Voyager 1 is still going and sending back data and it's left our solar system.
Though it's not like they have to worry about corrosion or weathering out there in space.There was some collaboration with NASA but it wasen't the maneuvering that failed, it was the hardware. The lander had a tiny thruster on it's top that was supposed ti fire upon touchdown and keep it in place, while small drill were to simultaneously anchor it in place, I'm not sure if that faild too or without the thruster operating they were afraid to deploy them. People have to keep in mind that 10 years is a long time in the icy cold of deep space which is I agree with other posters that it should have been nuclear-powered, that eliminates any issues with solar orientation right there. Heck Voyager 1 is still going and sending back data and it's left our solar system.
Just not much colorful stuff ..ie:the surface of moon really is lacking color too
or this updated Earthrise from 2008 Japanese Kaguya mission
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1KWtG66lEQ
Not looking good at all...
They are hoping that when they get closer to the sun Philae may wake.
There was some collaboration with NASA but it wasen't the maneuvering that failed, it was the hardware. The lander had a tiny thruster on it's top that was supposed ti fire upon touchdown and keep it in place, while small drill were to simultaneously anchor it in place, I'm not sure if that faild too or without the thruster operating they were afraid to deploy them. People have to keep in mind that 10 years is a long time in the icy cold of deep space which is I agree with other posters that it should have been nuclear-powered, that eliminates any issues with solar orientation right there. Heck Voyager 1 is still going and sending back data and it's left our solar system.