The satellite Rosetta was launched by European Space Agency (ESA) in 2004.

Under the mission, Rosetta was to travel approximately 4 billion miles, make three gravity-assist flybys of Earth and one of Mars and then make a rendezvous with a comet and land on its surface.

"After ten years, five months and four days travelling towards our destination, looping around the Sun five times and clocking up 6.4 billion kilometres (3.9 billion miles), we are delighted to announce finally "we are here"," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's Director General in a statement.

Earlier this year, Rosetta "woke up" from deep space hibernation to prepare its approach to the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (C-G). After January's wake-up, the orbiter?s 11 science instruments and 10 lander instruments were reactivated and were made ready for scientific observations.

The final approach of Rosetta started in May and since then operators have executed 10 orbital correction maneuvers in order to position the spacecraft to enter orbit of the comet.

The velocity of the spacecraft was reduced with respect to the comet from 775 m/s (1,733.62 mph) to 1 m/s (2.23 mph), a speed equivalent to walking pace. The last maneuver was conducted on August 6 and after that Rosetta rendezvoused with C-G and entered into orbit.

"Arriving at the comet is really only just the beginning of an even bigger adventure, with greater challenges still to come as we learn how to operate in this unchartered environment, start to orbit and, eventually, land," said Sylvain Lodiot, ESA's Rosetta spacecraft operations manager.

ESA scientists will have to take into account several factors when attempting a real-life version of Lunar Lander. Low gravity will also prove to be an issue.

Stefan Ulamec, Philae Lander Manager has expressed confidence that the slow approach speed will negate any possible malfunctions, "this is like walking and bouncing against a wall; it hurts but it won?t kill you!" he said during a Rosetta discussion on Friday.