{
  "id": 19706030,
  "title": "On this day in space! Nov. 12, 2014: European Philae probe lands on Comet 67P, bounced twice and then got lost for nearly 2 years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/on-this-day-in-space-nov-12-2014-european-philae-probe-lands-on-comet",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-12T20:19:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Space.com",
    "slug": "space-com",
    "url": "https://www.space.com/space-exploration/on-this-day-in-space-november-12-2026"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On November 12, 2014, the European spacecraft Philae made history by landing on Comet 67P, but the landing was far from smooth. The Philae lander separated from the Rosetta orbiter ahead of the landing, but its harpoons failed to secure it to the comet's surface. As a result, Philae bounced twice, first rising half a mile above the comet before plummeting back down. Scientists discovered Philae's location nearly two years later after Rosetta's images revealed it wedged in a dark crevice on the comet's surface. This groundbreaking mission aimed to study the comet's composition up close, but Philae's bumpy landing created challenges. Despite the difficulties, Philae still managed to gather data, detecting organic molecules never seen before on a comet. The Rosetta orbiter continued to orbit the comet until it joined Philae on the surface in September 2016.",
  "summary": "On Nov. 12, 2014, a European spacecraft named Philae landed on Comet 67P, then bounced twice and got lost. Here's why it mattered.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}