Rosetta Update:
The lander has separated from Rosetta. Perhaps a brief mention of names. Rosetta Stone, before it was a software product, is the artifact found in the late 1700's in Egypt that provided that first clues for being able to translate hieroglyphics into modern language. It has upon it the same (almost) information in hieroglyphics and Greek. So using the Greek it was possible to gain understanding of meanings of the glyphs. The space probe it is hoped will be a key in understanding origins of life, the solar system, many mysteries. Thus Rosetta for the main probe.
A few hours ago a small lander was released from Rosetta. It is named Philae which is the location in Egypt where a second artifact, an inscribed obelisk, was found which added additional information for translation. And the site on the comet which is the target of today's landing is Agilkia. The original Philae temple on an island in the Nile was flooded by the building of the Aswan dam. In preparation for this flooding the temple was moved to a safe alternative island, Agilkia. So Philae moved to Agilkia. Today the Philae lander is moving to its new home, Agilkia.
The lander is scheduled to touch down in an hour. There are already amazing pictures. Rosetta has produced images of Philae as it moves away.
https://twitter.com/ESA_Rosetta/stat...984128/photo/1
Philae has produced images of Rosetta.
https://twitter.com/ESA_Rosetta/stat...265921/photo/1
You can watch the action with a continuous press briefing online at
Rosetta | rendezvous with a comet
If your cable provider has NASA channel, they are producing their own programming, on Comcast channel 271
10:30 AM the NASA channel is now carrying the ESA feed live