Comet-Hugging Lander Sends Back Data, Despite Dying Battery

By Dana Farrington / NPR

Published November 14, 2014 at 2:40 PM PST

This story was published more than 10 years ago.

The ESA released this composite panoramic image showing Philae's surroundings on Comet 67P. To illustrate the lander's orientation, the agency superimposed a sketch of the craft.

It's not dead yet! Mission Control has re-established contact with the Philae lander, which is perched on a comet.

"That's quite a feat," NPR's Geoff Brumfiel tells our Newscast Desk. "Philae was supposed to land on a nice flat surface where it could get plenty of solar power — but it bounced and ended up in the shadow of a cliff. So its batteries are running low."

Philae, the first spacecraft to land on a comet and study it, is still sending back scientific data. Today's accomplishments include:

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The first comet drilling.

It did a little dance.

Power is running low quickly without enough sunlight, the European Space Agency reports on its blog.

But Brumfiel says the mission has already been a success, with all of the data it's been able to send back: "This thing has really had a bright — if slightly short — life on the comet."