Spacecraft lands on a comet, for the first time in history!

Article; Yesterday, in an amazing technological feat, European space scientists successfully landed a small spacecraft on the surface of a speeding comet, for the first time in history. What is a comet? A comet is frozen leftovers from when the solar system was formed, made of ice and rock. Where else have humans landed spacecrafts? Mars and the moon. What do you imagine is the hardest thing about trying to land on a comet? Issues of gravity and how to land on something that is a 2.5 mile wide ball of rock, ice and dust, moving faster than 40,000 miles per hour! One of the purposes of this spacecraft is to find out whether the earth’s oceans are filled with melted comets; some scientists believe that water came to earth on comets slamming into earth carrying water from elsewhere. What could be some problems with the landing? The scientists say the spacecraft is not very securely attached to the comet, as previously hoped. How does the lander get its energy to conduct scientific experiments and send photographs and information back to earth? From solar panels that recharge the batteries. Lastly, the operation is named “Rosetta,” after the Rosetta Stone, used to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Scientists hope this operation will help decipher the solar system.

Click here for a slide show of the comet and landing!