There were scenes of jubilation following a seven hour wait at the European Space Agency’s mission control in Darmstadt when the Rosetta mission achieved its aim.
What seemed an impossible task took place 510 million kilometres from Earth on a comet hurtling through space at 18km/s. The Philae lander, a robotic spacecraft, safely touched down on a comet for the first time in history.
The safe landing gives scientists their first chance ever to ride a comet and study close up what happens as it gets closer to the sun.
Launched more than 10 years ago (March 2004) the Rosetta spacecraft has travelled more than six billion kilometres to catch up with the comet which orbits the sun as speeds up to 135,000km/h.
For the mags4dorset report which details the links between the Rosetta mission and Kingston Lacy, see page 22 of November’s 4Dorset.
