The European Space Agency (ESA) has released a new video on their YouTube channel showing a real-time landing of Comet Lander Philae landing on the comet 67P.
The space agency shares that the video was made out of 7 still photographs that were taken during the landing by the downward-facing ROLIS camera on the spacecraft, also known as the Rosetta Lander Imaging System, at 10-second intervals. Those images have been interpolated in time to make the illusion of a video of the spacecraft landing on the comet.
The ESA notes that the images taken during the event ranged from the spacecraft being 67 meters above the comet's surface, to being as close as 9 meters above the comet's surface. You can see some very fine details on the surface of the comet, such as the rocky surface.
Unfortunately, you don't get to see Philae actually make contact with the surface of the comet - the video ends when the lander takes its last photograph just 9 meters from the comet's surface.
On the other hand, this is probably the most realistic comet landing you've ever seen on video, so it's hard to say this isn't awesome.
