5 SEPTEMBER 1977: VOYAGER 1 LAUNCHES!

by @sciencemug

Today, in 1977, NASA probe Voyager 1 launches from Kennedy Space Center.

Its twin Voyager 2 launches before it, on August the 20th 1977, but Voyager 1 is "1" 'cause it's going to reach Jupiter and Saturn first.

42 years later these two probes-grannies are still alive and kicking... In the interstellar space!

Indeed Voyager 1 becomes the first piece of humanity to reach interstellar space on August 2013, followed by Voyager 2 on November 2018!

SO LONG, PHILAE!

Goodbye Philae! by PiPs, Bernards & by @sciencemug

Today's the day when, to save its power [(which is lower and lower given it's generated by solar pannels and the Sun is 520 million km (and going) away now)], European Space Agency (ESA) spacecraft Rosetta (the piece of human immagination, technology, intelligence, hard work and ambition which for ten years (2004-2014) chased, and finally, on 6 August 2014, reached Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko) is switching off the tool used to communicate with its lander Philae, which is on the comet and silent since last summer (9 July 2015).

Goodbye, lander-pal Philae, enjoy your slumber and your view.

And thanks for all the fish... No, sorry... For all the amazing science and your epic landing!

The sciencemug gang.