Philae probe landing on comet: First images bring cheer but battery life is big concern

Images from the surface of a speeding comet taken by the lander Philae are on Earth. The European Space Agency's mission to comet 67 is operating, but not without power and location issues. Solar power is an issues for the long term success of the lander because the on-board battery power can only last 64 hours. Philae rests in an area that only receives one and a half hours of sunlight over 12 hours. But, the spacecraft needs six to seven hours of sunlight to recharge the batteries.