Philae comet lander finally wakes up 'from hibernation'

Professor Monica Grady has likened the news the Philae lander is awake to a combination of winning the lottery, being a new mother and her wedding day.

The Open University professor, who worked on the project, said: "This is really, really, tremendous news. I cant get across how excited and happy I am."

"We've been waiting since November for this to happen. My reaction when I received the news was is it true? I was trembling."

She said the team would now have to wait for the lander to warm up before continuing with their experiments.

The European Space Agency's Rosetta mission has called the awakening of its Philae lander "incredible news":

The professor who cried with excitement on finding out Philae had successfully landed on a comet has said she is "in tears again" after it woke up.

Professor Monica Grady of the Open University, who worked on the project, wrote on Twitter:

The European Space Agency has confirmed it is receiving transmissions from the Philae lander for the first time since it "fell asleep" on Comet 67P.

The Philae lander which lost power after making its historic landing on a comet has finally woken up and contacted the European Space Agency.

The comet probe had been "asleep" since November after its batteries ran out and scientists were unable to recharge it as Philae lay in the shadow of a crater wall.