Rosetta Should Look South For Safe Landing Site

ESA's Rosetta mission needs to deliver its lander, Philae, to a site in the southern hemisphere of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, according to a new study of the comet's nucleus.

"Southern sites appear to be both the safest and the most scientifically interesting," said Jeremie Lasue, who will be presenting the findings at the European Planetary Science Congress in Rome on Thursday 23rd September.

"Churyumov-Gerasimenko is a time capsule holding material from the birth of the Solar System. The nucleus's southern hemisphere has been heavily eroded, so Philae will not have to drill down far to find those pristine samples. At the time of Rosetta's rendezvous, gas will be escaping mainly from the northern hemisphere, so it will be safer for Philae to touch down in the south.

In addition due to the orientation of the comet
, the southern hemisphere will be protected from extreme temperature variations at the time of delivery," said Lasue.

After a ten-year chase, Rosetta is due to begin maneuvers to rendezvous with comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko in May 2014 and go into orbit around the nucleus in August. Philae is scheduled to drop down onto the surface of the nucleus in November. The orbiter and lander will then monitor the comet's evolution over the next 13 months as it approaches the Sun and then travels away again.