Fred Jansen manages the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission, which guided a probe into orbit around a comet and dispatched a lander to its surface -- both firsts in space exploration. Although the lander Philae could not accomplish its full mission before going into hibernation, the data it’s already gathered will immeasurably multiply our knowledge of comets and their contributions to the ingredients of life on Earth.
In addition to his work with the Rosetta Mission, Jansen oversees the ESA’s XMM-Newton, an orbiting x-ray space observatory delving into the most elusive secrets of the universe, including black holes and dark matter.
““...the Rosetta mission is far from over. For many scientists, the excitement is just beginning.”” — Wired, November 25, 2014
And you think your commute is bad. On November 12, 2014, the Philae probe finally landed on a comet some 10 years after it left Earth. Fred Jansen, who manages the mission for the European Space Agency, remembers some of the key moments that led up to the landing.
Continue reading“When our ancestors looked up at the night sky, they saw tools for navigation. They saw myths, and they saw the heavens,” says June Cohen, the host of Session 4 of TED2015. “But technology has given us so many new clues. … Space exploration has never been as fascinating and relevant as it is today.” Here’s […]
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