CMC'S
NEWS' REVIEW (IV)
News'
title: Landing on a Comet, a European Space Agency
Mission Aims to Unlock the Mysteries of Earth.
Date
of publication: November
12, 2014.
Source
of information: The New York
Times.
Scientific
field: Astronomy
(space and cosmos).
Extract:
The
Rosetta mission is a project that
has lasted ten years and that has costed $1.75 billion. Its
lander, named Philae, landed last Wednesday on Comet
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Although there were some problems with the landing, the European Space Agency is satisfied with the results. The first touchdown
mechanism didn't work, but the emergency harpoons fired and the
lander could finally be fixed to the comet. Even so, there's a
possibility that it's not absolutely fixed, and in this case Philae
may not operate as long as hoped, but it's still been a feat.
The spacecraft's observations are expected to offer important clues to how the solar system came together 4'5 billion years ago.
The spacecraft's observations are expected to offer important clues to how the solar system came together 4'5 billion years ago.
 |
| Scheme of the Philae's touchdown |
 | |
| Comet's photo |
 |
| Philae's lander |
Critical
appraisal:
This
mission, which has set an unprecedented feat in the astronomy field,
has both good and bad sides.
From
my point of view, I think it's necessary to spend and invest in
research, to make
science advance.
I realize that knowledge and research are causes worth spending for. Furthermore, I value very highly all the information that this lander
will surely give us, which might lead to other discoveries. So
I think the countries, within
its economic capacity,
should never stop
investing part of its GDP in research, as
it is one of the most important elements
and shows the
potential of the country.
On
the other hand, although I've said I agree to set aside money for
investigations, I found the $1.75
billion
budget incredibly high. I guess it was all necesasary, as the equipment and the technology are really expensive, but still
I
think that the
European Space Agency should have done
everything possible to reduce the cost of the mission, because
in
this context of crisis we
all
have to reduce our expenses.
Moreover,
this new feat has
raised quite a stir, but
there
are still years to start seeing results and discoveries
by
means of the spacecraft and the comet.
Glossary:
Feat:
an achievement that requires great courage, skill, or
strength.
Remnant:
a small remaining quantity of something.
Spray:
liquid that is blown or driven through the air in the form
of tiny drops.
Fluctuation:
an irregular rising and falling in number or amount; a variation.
Thruster:
an object having a three-dimensional shape like that of a wire wound
uniformly in a single layer around a cylinder or cone, as in a
corkscrew or spiral staircase.
Harpoons:
a barbed spear-like missile attached to a long rope and
thrown by hand or fired from a gun, used for catching whales and
other large sea creatures.
Touchdown:
the moment at which an aircraft's wheels or part of a spacecraft
make contact with the ground during landing.
Video:
Video:
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