This artist impression from Dec. 2013 by ESA /ATG medialab , publicly provided by the European Space Agency, ESA, shows Rosetta’s lander Philae (front view) on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The comet lander Philae has awakened from a seven-month hibernation and managed to communicate with Earth for more than a minute, the European Space Agency said Sunday June 14, 2015. The probe became the first spacecraft to land on a comet when it touched down on the icy surface of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in November. Shortly after its historic landing, Philae managed to conduct experiments and send data to Earth for about 60 hours before its batteries were depleted and it was forced into hibernation. (ESA/ATG medialab/ESA via AP) (The Associated Press)
BERLIN – The Philae spacecraft has been in touch with Earth from a comet for the second time since waking up, though it delivered less data than on its first contact.
Sylvain Lodiot, spacecraft operations manager for Philae's mother ship Rosetta, said Monday that Philae sent back five packets of data on Sunday night — a day after it broke seven months of silence.
Philae became the first spacecraft to settle on a comet when it touched down on icy 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in November, but managed to send data to Earth only for about 60 hours before its batteries ran out.
Scientists' hopes that the probe would wake up as the comet approached the sun, enabling Philae's solar panels to absorb enough light to charge its main battery, were fulfilled over the weekend.
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