At the end of May 2014, the Rosetta space probe moved into an orbit around the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in order to map its surface and prepare for the landing of Philae. This ballistic lander, weighing 100 kg, landed successfully on the comet on November 12th 2014. The probe is powered by FAULHABER DC motors to ensure a secure landing. After an adventurous journey of over 10 years through outer space, this is a first in the history of space travel. Landing on a comet, a maneuver which has never been performed before, is in many ways beset with difficulties. The search for a suitable place to land was carried out on the basis of high-resolution images of the comet's surface. These only became available, however, after Rosetta was just a few kilometers of the comet. There is also little known about the exact composition of the surface of the comet. Ice and dust, fissures and craggy structures are factors in the landing.
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