'It's time to take more risks... we're now coming to the end': Rosetta deploys drill in last-ditch attempt to get comet samples as clock ticks on fading battery power
Speaking from Darmstadt, mission director, Paolo Ferri, said time is running out for Philae, which will today conduct a daring drilling operation to retrieve and analyse 4.5 billion-year-old comet mate
rial. The lander is stuck in partial darkness near a cliff (shown centre) on the rim of a crater with one of its legs pointing into space. It is not getting enough sunlight to keep it alive so engineers may try to move it into a better position. The main battery on Philae is due to run out of power by the end of Friday or early Saturday. However a secondary battery can be charged by the sun if the lander is moved to get its largest solar panel into light. Alternatively Philae could be put into hibernation until the comet is closer to the sun in a few months. While they decided whether to try and move it, scientists are busy collecting as much data from the lander as possible before it dies.
rial. The lander is stuck in partial darkness near a cliff (shown centre) on the rim of a crater with one of its legs pointing into space. It is not getting enough sunlight to keep it alive so engineers may try to move it into a better position. The main battery on Philae is due to run out of power by the end of Friday or early Saturday. However a secondary battery can be charged by the sun if the lander is moved to get its largest solar panel into light. Alternatively Philae could be put into hibernation until the comet is closer to the sun in a few months. While they decided whether to try and move it, scientists are busy collecting as much data from the lander as possible before it dies.
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