Rosetta entered hibernation at 16:13 CEST today, the moment that ESA & NASA ground stations in Australia lost the probe's radio signal, as planned. Full article in the main ESA website here: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM38RJ4LOG_0.html

Happiness after final command sent!

In the image below, Rosetta Operations Manager Andrea Accomazzo gestures happily in the Rosetta control room at ESOC today, just moments after the final command was sent to Rosetta to trigger a 31-month hibernation until January 2014.

 

Operations manager Andrea Accomazzo gestures happily in the Rosetta control room at ESOC today, just moments after the final command was sent to Rosetta to trigger a 31-month hibernation until January 2014. Credit: ESA