Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko as seen by Philae lander as it lands on the surface.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has made the first landing on a comet in history with their Rosetta mission. The Philae lander touched down on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at around 11AM EST. Philae will be active for about two days, conducting the first in situ analysis of a comet’s surface. Philae’s mothership will orbit and observe the comet through 2015. The objective of the mission is to observe how a frozen comet is transformed by the sun. Learn more about the Rosetta mission on the ESA’s website.