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The probe, which landed on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, discovered organic molecules. These are basic building blocks for the possible creation of life, according to a German agency involved in the mission.
An instrument aboard the Philae spacecraft discovered molecules after taking a sample from the comet's atmosphere. Organic compounds are molecules that contain carbon atoms, the basis of life on Earth.
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Scientists analyze the data obtained. Everyone is interested: the discovered molecules are simple, such as methane and methanol, or they are more complex types, such as amino acids, which are the building blocks for proteins.
The Philae probe drill also sampled materials from the comet's solid surface. However, the data from this sample have not yet been fully studied.
As a rule, comets contain the most common substances in the solar system, which have been around for 4.5 billion years. Previous studies have shown that comets contain organic material in their dusty atmospheres.
The study of the organic materials of Comet 67P will help us understand whether organic molecules were brought by comets early on in the formation of our planet Earth.
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Specialists, of course, expected to find organic compounds on this comet. But thanks to the probe, they have for the first time directly searched for such molecules both in the gases of the comet and on its surface.
The data transmitted by Philae (a mission of the European Space Agency) will currently be verified with data from the Rosetta orbital carrier. In early August, when Rosetta was within the comet's 200 km zone, one of its sensors was able to take a sample of gases.
Previously, water, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide have already been discovered near other comets, which are likely to be released from the surface layer of the celestial body. In addition, ammonia, methane and methanol were found.
In October, scientists studying solar system comets said they found traces of organic formaldehyde compounds, as well as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide molecules.
On comet 67P, researchers hope to discover amino acids.
After all, in 2009, a US spacecraft discovered an amino acid on one of the comets.
It is quite possible that studies at 67P will help strengthen the opinion that life on Earth was given by comets that came to us with organic compounds.
Although Phila already has the main battery, scientists have completed the first experiment, which shows high hopes for the future work of the Rosetta mission. Now we need to wait for the light to fall on the probe's solar panels and we'll watch further experiments again. Most likely, the probe will “wake up” next summer or a little earlier, as the comet flies closer to the sun.