Anyone watching the Rosetta comet landing?

[Flick of the Elbow]

Again, where's the sense of wonder and discovery

You can get that by riding somewhere new on your bike, and it won't cost the tax payer a penny.

 

[nickyboy]

1.4 billion euros. Justified on the grounds that they might find something useful. Some business case. A further 1.4 billion reasons for us to get out of Europe.

Go back to your cave while we watch the action

 

[hoopdriver]

You can get that by riding somewhere new on your bike, and it won't cost the tax payer a penny.

That is a very good point. I certainly do experience a sense of wonder and discovery when I am out on my bicycle riding along a 'new' lane I've not been down before.

But there are bigger things too, intriguing questions and places that capture my imagination. Deep space, deep seas...

With the billions that are flung into the wind on all sorts of wars and graft these days, the cost of this bit of pure, idealistic perhaps even naive exploration is nothing. Not even half of the fine that is being levied this week against a few dodgy banks, who themselves merely shrug it off as the cost of doing business.

 

[hoopdriver]

No, it acknowledges the fact that the word has been heavily misused and is often used in that sense.

 

[Spinney]

MOD NOTE: please restrict posts to discussing the comet, not fine distinctions in the meanings of words.
(I know it's the cafe, but that really is a long way off topic)

 

[talisman50082]

Mort

 

[John the Monkey]

Again, where's the sense of wonder and discovery

Yep. Or the thrill at adding to the total of human knowledge.

As though this were a binary choice between "comets" and "feed the poor".

I find myself very much in agreement with your preceding post.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

So the enormous digression is over?

I'm looking forward to the next installment of how Philae manages to find a more sunny spot. No doubt you Brits can relate to that! Sorry, couldn't help it.
Seriously, though, it would be a shame if the batteries ran out before the lander could find a better spot.

 

[Beebo]

So the enormous digression is over?

I'm looking forward to the next installment of how Philae manages to find a more sunny spot. No doubt you Brits can relate to that! Sorry, couldn't help it.
Seriously, though, it would be a shame if the batteries ran out before the lander could find a better spot.

The Germans must be well pee'd off.
They get to the comet and find someone has already nabbed the sunny spot.
The should have sent their kids out at 5am with the towels.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

So the enormous digression is over?

I'm looking forward to the next installment of how Philae manages to find a more sunny spot. No doubt you Brits can relate to that! Sorry, couldn't help it.
Seriously, though, it would be a shame if the batteries ran out before the lander could find a better spot.

Yep - and the results from the experiments that are being conducted as I type. According to Prof Monica it's a bonus if a sunny spot can be reached as batteries will deliver all primary objectives

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Another glorious failure just like that Christmas shambles of a few years ago. They should stick to designing shirts.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Another glorious failure just like that Christmas shambles of a few years ago. They should stick to designing shirts.

It may not be as successful as hoped, but it's by no means a failure. If some people spent as much time feeding their brains as they do feeding their wallets or egos, then perhaps half the planet might not be worrying about feeding their stomachs.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

There's a programme on BBC 4 at 9 this evening. Worth watching maybe?

 

[TVC]

Good news. Philae just tweeted Good Morning.

Philae Lander (@Philae2014) tweeted at 0:33 PM on Sun, Jun 14, 2015:
Hello Earth! Can you hear me? #WakeUpPhilae
(https://twitter.com/Philae2014/status/610047412036595712?s=02)

 

[Archie_tect]

Well all that money's well spent if it can sent tweets to say hello.