4 ms·

Really too bad the harpoons failed. Why I wonder? http://image.slidesharecdn.com/rosettamediabriefing16octbiele-141016091057-conversion-gate02/95/rosetta-medi

Really too bad the harpoons failed. Why I wonder? http://image.slidesharecdn.com/rosettamediabriefing16octbiele-141016091057-conversion-gate02/95/rosetta-media-briefing-16-october-dr-jens-biele-dlr-philae-lander-payload-manager-16-638.jpg?cb=1413468719 http://image.slidesharecdn.com/rosettamediabriefing16octbiel...

coob 12y ago
The thrusters to counteract the force of the harpoons were bust.
bunderbunder 12y ago
Apparently the propellant they used was found (after launch, unfortunately) to be unreliable in a vacuum. http://www.wired.com/2013/10/in-space-no-one-can-hear-your-nitrocellulose-explode/ http://www.wired.com/2013/10/in-space-no-one-can-hear-your-n...
- ryandvm 12y ago
  Ouch. This strikes me as a particularly avoidable mistake.
  - seanflyon 12y ago
    It's not that they don't work in vacuum, it's that they don't work after a decade in extremely cold vacuum.
    - eps 12y ago
      ... unlike a not-so-harsh room-temperature vacuum ;)
      - seanflyon 12y ago
        OK, after a decade extremely cold and in a vacuum.
- andygates 12y ago
  Spec of the anchoring system: http://www.esmats.eu/esmatspapers/pastpapers/pdfs/2003/thiel.pdf http://www.esmats.eu/esmatspapers/pastpapers/pdfs/2003/thiel...
peter303 12y ago
ten years at near absolute zero?