Philae (Pronounced: Fee-Lay), a 220 pound probe about the size of a washing machine, but considerably smarter, has landed on a comet traveling nearly 40,000 miles per hour and some 311 million miles from earth.

The European Space Agency launched the project back in 2004. Today,Philae is talking to scientists here on earth from the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in a mission which could reveal the origins of life on Earth.

We are extremely relieved to be safely on the surface of the comet, especially given the extra challenge of the comet's unusual shape and unexpectedly hazardous surface

In the next hours we'll learn exactly where and how we've landed, and we'll start getting as much science as we can from the surface of this fascinating world.

Dr Stephan Ulamec, Philae Lander Manager at the DLR German Aerospace Center.

This is an amazing feat that was started 10 years ago, before most people had cell phones. History was made today.

HERE is another video to explain the landing. And THIS VIDEO may help your kids understand.

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