![Philae as seen from Rosetta Philae as seen from Rosetta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/philae-detaches-rosetta-comet.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
By TIME Staff
A space probe landed on a speeding comet for the first time ever on Wednesday morning. More than a decade ago, Rosetta and a lander called Philae set off to find the commit 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. The European Space Agency’s Philae lander separated from the Rosetta orbiter at 09:03 GMT on Tuesday and touched down on the speeding comet around 4:00 GMT.
Scientists hope that exploring the comet will answer questions about how planets are formed.
See the Rosetta Spacecraft's Best Photos of Comet 67P
![ROLIS's (Rosetta Lander Imaging System) first photo of Comet 67P, taken as Philae lander approached its touchdown on the comet's surface.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/philae-comet-67p-rosetta.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Selfie spacecraft and comet](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/rosetta-comet-landing-008.png?w=2400&quality=75)
![The comet on Oct. 28, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/rosetta-comet-landing-007.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![The comet in a photo released on Aug. 6, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/rosetta-comet-landing-006.png?w=2400&quality=75)
![The comet on Sept. 26, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/rosetta-comet-landing-005.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![The comet on Oct. 18, 2014](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/rosetta-comet-landing-004.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![The comet on Nov. 4, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/rosetta-comet-landing-002.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![The comet on Aug. 3, 2014.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/rosetta-comet-landing-001.png?w=2400&quality=75)
More Must-Reads from TIME
- The Reintroduction of Kamala Harris
- The 7 States That Will Decide the Election
- Is the U.S. Ready for Psychedelics?
- Inside Sam Bankman-Fried's Siege of D.C.
- Do You Really Store Stress in Your Body?
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now
- Can Food Really Change Your Hormones?
Contact us at letters@time.com