L'Agenzia spaziale europea ha annunciato che la missione della sonda Rosetta, alle calcagna della cometa 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko, è stata prolungata di nove mesi e, invece di terminare a fine 2015, durerà sino a settembre 2016. Ciò significa che i dati continueranno a essere raccolti anche quando il corpo celeste si starà allontanando dal Sole.
Il recente risveglio di Philae, il robot esploratore da sette mesi in ibernazione sulla superficie dell'ammasso roccioso, ha infuso nuovo entusiasmo tra gli scienziati, che sperano di ottenere risposte concernenti la comparsa della vita sulla Terra.
Lanciata nel 2004, Rosetta ha impiegato dieci anni per raggiungere la meta, lo scorso novembre. Una volta in prossimità, ha rilasciato il veicolo-laboratorio, il primo costruito dall'uomo a posarsi su una materia così primitiva. Finito in un avvallamento dopo essere rimbalzato tre volte, il lander ha cessato di funzionare quasi subito; ora però le sue batterie hanno riaccumulato energia grazie alla maggiore vicinanza con la nostra stella.
AFP/ANSA/dg
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