This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
We've put robots on both the moon and mars, but scientists have never tried to soft-land a robot on a comet--until now. In this episode of The Countdown, we cover everything you need to know about the European Space Agency's groundbreaking Rosetta mission.
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More to explore:
Comet Craft Approaches Its Target (Nature)
Rosetta: To Chase a Comet (NASA)
#WakeUpRosetta Once Upon A Time... (ESA)
History of Cometary Missions (ESA)
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Credits:
Host/writer: Sophie Bushwick
Story Advisors: Clara Moskowitz & Michael Moyer
Editor: Joss Fong
Producer: Eric R. Olson