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Top facts about the Comet 67P and space probe on it

A quick look at Comet 67P and what it could teach us.

The European Space Agency made history when a space probe successfully landed on the surface of a comet 500 million km away from Earth.

It is a mission which has been decades in the planning.

Here are some top facts about the probe which was sent to the surface and the comet itself.

Philae lander

  • Travelled 6.4 billion km (four billion miles) to reach the comet

  • Journey took 10 years

  • Planning for the journey began 25 years ago

Comet 67P

  • Is more than four billion years old

  • Has a mass of 10 billion tonnes

  • Is hurtling through space at 18km/s (40,000mph)

  • Is shaped like a rubber duck

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