ROSETTA DATE FIXED FOR COMET LANDING

The European Space Agency (Esa) has confirmed the date for the landing attempt on Comet 67P as Wednesday 12 November, which is one day later than discussed in provisional planning.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29380448

The extra time will give controllers more latitude to get Rosetta into the best position to send the 100kg lander Philae to the comet surface.

Philae will free-fall towards the comet, making contact with the chosen landing site J at 15.35 GMT. Radio signal will take 28 minutes and 20 seconds to reach Esa's ground station on Earth, so confirmation of the landing will come shortly after 16.00 MT.

Philae has no thrusters to control or alter its descent trajectory, so it will land where it will land. Philae could sink into a soft powder or impact ice as hard as rock, or even bounce back into space.

Comment:  This is an extraordinarily risky mission, but if successful should provide spectacular results.