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Rosetta's comet is spinning down
bbc ^
| Jonathan Amos
Posted on 03/20/2015 1:27:12 PM PDT by BenLurkin
"The gas jets coming out of the comet - they are acting like thrusters and are slowing down the comet," said flight director Andrea Accomazzo.
The European Space Agency official was speaking this week at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London.
He was describing how his team has learnt to fly Rosetta around the 10-billion-tonne, 4km-wide body with remarkable precision.
Navigators use a system of landmarks on the comet to understand how it is rotating and moving through space.
This information is fed into a model that helps plan a trajectory for the satellite.
And it was while running this model that the Esa team realised the landmarks were not quite turning up in the right place at the expected time.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: churyumovgerasimenko; comet; comet67p; comets; electricuniverse; philae; rosetta; thrusters
1
posted on
03/20/2015 1:27:12 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
To: BenLurkin
Is it too late to state that it is not my fault?
2
posted on
03/20/2015 1:31:00 PM PDT
by
Darksheare
(Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
To: BenLurkin
3
posted on
03/20/2015 1:31:43 PM PDT
by
Blood of Tyrants
(True followers of Christ emulate Christ. True followers of Mohammed emulate Mohammed.)
To: Darksheare
No no no.
You’re right on time.
4
posted on
03/20/2015 1:31:46 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: BenLurkin
Ah, thanks much!
Thought for a minute there I may have missed it.
5
posted on
03/20/2015 1:32:25 PM PDT
by
Darksheare
(Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
To: SunkenCiv
6
posted on
03/20/2015 1:33:16 PM PDT
by
left that other site
(You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
To: BenLurkin
If its slowing down it should be falling into a lower orbit.
Better duck.
7
posted on
03/20/2015 1:48:30 PM PDT
by
cripplecreek
("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
To: left that other site
Thanks left that other site.
8
posted on
03/20/2015 1:52:55 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW!)
To: Darksheare
Wave!
You didn't miss it... The rock is slowing down. ;)
/johnny
To: BenLurkin
10
posted on
03/20/2015 2:10:33 PM PDT
by
PROCON
(Always Give 100% --- Unless you're donating blood.)
To: BenLurkin
Who cares about a stupid comet or that a group of engineers landed a probe on it's surface. The project scientist wore this shirt and that is what is really important.
To: PROCON
12
posted on
03/20/2015 3:49:21 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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