article_snippet: Now, as the comet approaches the sun and solar rays recharge Philae's batteries, Rosetta mission manager Patrick Martin tells MailOnline Rosetta mission manager Patrick Martin is confident of finding The probe soon - but The probe will be a race against time to get The probe working again.
article_snippet: Rosetta mission manager Patrick Martin told MailOnline Rosetta mission manager Patrick Martin is confident of making contact with Philae on comet 67P soon (approach of lander on 12 November shown).
article_snippet: Making contact will enable scientists to get Philae to continue the groundbreaking science Philae managed to perform in Philae brief operational time on the surface - and Philae will also allow Rosetta to pinpoint Rosetta location.
article_snippet: This image sent back from Philae revealed Philae precarious position on the comet.
article_snippet: At the next attempt, Mission manager Mr Martin said there was a ’50:50 chance’ they would hear something from Philae, but even if the next attempt is unsuccessful he is very confident that we will have heard something from Philae by the time 67P makes Philae closest approach to the sun - known as perihelion - in August.
article_snippet: And Philae will play a big part in increasing our understanding of how this process takes place, if Esa is able to wake Esa up in a reasonable amount of time .
article_snippet: But while they are confident Philae will wake up, scientists will be hoping it happens sooner rather than later as it will not be able to operate indefinitely on the comet.
article_snippet: Even though the comet has a relatively short orbital period, 6.45 years, the comet's unlikely Rosetta and Philae will survive long enough to continue communicating with Earth on the comet return.
article_snippet: If Philae can study and observe the comet on the approach, Philae could provide some fascinating insight into what happens to a comet during the long term science phase.
highlights_snippet: Rosetta mission manager Patrick Martin told MailOnline Rosetta mission manager Patrick Martin is confident of making contact with Philae on comet 67P soon .
  
highlights_snippet: But Rosetta mission manager Patrick Martinsaid Esa scientists in Germany have a '50:50' chance of making contact on 13 April .
  