Rosetta Lander - Philae: Landing preparations
Sierks, Holger; Jurado, Eric; Ulamec, Stephan; Biele, Jens; Geurts, Koen; Maibaum, Michael; Fantinati, Cinzia; Küchemann, Oliver; Lommatsch, Valentina; Delmas, Cedric; Witte, Lars; Gaudon, Philippe; Cozzoni, Barbara; Blazquez, Alejandro
Germany, France
Abstract
Rosetta and Philae have been in hibernation until January 20, 2014. After the successful wakeup they underwent a post-hibernation commissioning. The orbiter instruments (like e.g. the OSIRIS cameras, VIRTIS, MIRO, Alice and ROSINA) characterized the target comet and its environment to allow landing site selection and the definition of a separation, descent and landing (SDL) strategy for the Lander.
By September 2014 our previously poor knowledge of the characteristics of the nucleus of the comet has increased drastically and the nominal and backup landing could be selected. The nominal site, as well as the corresponding descent strategy have been confirmed in mid-October, one month before the landing. The paper summarizes the selection process for a landing site and the planning for Separation-Descent-Landing (SDL).