Scientists Remain Hopeful of Finding Lost Philae

Buoyed by the find of Beagle 2 Mars lander earlier this month, European Space Agency scientists are hoping they can find the lost comet lander Philae.

Philae was launched by Rosetta spacecraft November last year and successfully landed on the comet 67 P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko that it set out to study, Christian Science Monitor reported. The lander beamed information after its landing but failed to begin study as its batteries ran out a few hours after landing. As Philae landed in a region where sunlight could not charge its batteries, the lander has been in hibernation ever since. ESA scientist who are pegging hopes on the lander awakening later this year say they have not abandoned search.

"We're looking - by eye - for a set of three spots that correspond to the lander. The problem is that sets of three spots are very common all over the comet nucleus; Hatmehit and the area around its rim where we're looking is full of boulders and we have identified several sets of three spots," says OSIRIS principal investigator Holger Sierks in a blog post. OSIRIS is the camera onboard Rossetta space probe.

Discovery News reported that scientists have broadly guesstimated the location but are hoping to sight the lander when Rosetta makes a 6 km pass above the comet on February 14. The space probe has sent images which were taken from 20 km above the comet surface.

Philae may wake up in May as the comet would be closest to the Sun on its approach. The lander needs 17 watts to shake it off its slumber.