Next month, as part of the 10-year-long Rosetta mission, a craft will attempt to land on a comet, which may unlock secrets to the universe.
The craft, called "Philae," is expected to land on the comet on Nov. 12, where it will map the comet and drill into the surface to grab samples. Those samples are believed to hold clues that could allude scientists to the origins of the galaxy and Earth, reports The Guardian.
The particular comet being landed on - also known as "Site J" - was chosen because "the majority of terrain within a square kilometre area has slopes of less than 30 degrees relative to the local vertical and because there are relatively few large boulders. The area also receives sufficient daily illumination to recharge Philae and continue surface science operations beyond the initial 64-hour battery-powered phase," reports ESA.
Site J is on a 6.5-year orbit that circles from Jupiter to Earth, according to ESA. the Rosetta orbiter for over a year during it's journeys.
