(Newswire.net — November 14, 2014) — After the success of the historic landing to the Comet 67P, there are doubts about the Rosetta space mission’s ability to transfer data back to Earth due to problems with it’s battery charging, the European Space Agency said.
After a 12 year journey and 6.5 billion kilometers (four billion miles), Philae Rosetta’s probe landed on a comet on November 12. After being bumped twice, Philae landed in the shade, away from the sunlight. To recharge the batteries with its solar panels, the probe needs six hours, but instead is getting only 1.5 hours of sunlight per day.
ESA researchers are using all possible ways to explore the surface and the conditions of the comet, however, are not sure that the batteries will have enough juice for transmitting the data back to Earth.
“The drill has been active today, whether it will sample and will succeed in bringing these samples to ovens we shall know this evening,” said Stephan Ulamec, Philae lander manager. “This would be fantastic but it is not secured – maybe the battery will be empty before we get contact again.”
The researchers were not able to pin an exact position of the Philae to exam the communications between the probe and the Rosette. Once they establish the exact location of the probe, they will explore the options of moving the robot to a sunnier place in an attempt to recharge the batteries.
The robot’s primary battery may run out in the next 24 hours, ESA says. The secondary battery, equipped with solar panels, can be used much longer if it gets the necessary amount of sunlight.
This event heats conspiracy theorists imagination as they believe there is more on the comet that ESA is willing to show. According to a YouTube video, there is a hidden agenda of ESA to explore a signal they received long time ago they calculate comes from the comet. Video even shows Photoshopped areas which on the original footage allegedly displayed large circular objects on the comet.