Comet-chaser Rosetta's instruments come alive (BBC)
The Rosetta probe has started turning on its instruments.
After coming out of a near three-year, deep-space hibernation in January, the satellite now has sufficient power to check out its science payload.
The spacecraft is currently about 675 million km from Earth, and continues to close in on its comet quarry.
Rosetta should arrive at the icy body in early August, when it will then start mapping the object to find a safe spot to put down its little lander.
This craft, known as Philae, is piggy-backing the main probe, and was set to receive its wake-up commands on Friday. It will be another week, however, before they are actioned.
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more: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26683763
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta
So far so good. Maybe by the time the probe has reached Churyumov-Gerasimenko we'll all have learned to pronounce it.