Scientists at the European Space Agency’s Operations Center say the deep space Rosetta satellite has stopped sending its signal.

It’s an important and welcome step as the satellite begins a flyby of an asteroid millions of miles from earth.

Rosetta rendezvoused with the Steins asteroid also known as Asteroid 2867 _ currently in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter _ just after 2:45 p.m. EDT Friday.

ESA expects the signal to resume later, a sign that the flyby of the irregularly shaped asteroid was successful.

The data and pictures taken by the satellite will be sent to the European Space Agency’s Darmstadt control room and laboratories.

The craft, launched in March 2005, is some 250 million miles away from Earth.