Hope is rekindled for the Russian and Chinese Mars Missions as contact is re-established with their ill fated probe. Can the problems be resolved in time or will these missions be aborted.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has at last received signals from the missing Phobos – Grunt Probe which is supposed to be on a mission to Mars but has, in fact, been stuck in an Earth orbit since its launch on the 9th November.
ESA Engineers are working with their Russian counterparts to see how best to maintain communications with the spacecraft which is unable to fire the engines that will propel it towards Mars.
Phobos – Grunt was built to land on the Martian moon Phobos, collect rock samples and bring them back to earth for detailed examination that will provide evidence as to the origins of the Martian satellite.
The race against time!
The contact has provided fresh hope that the mission can proceed but only if scientists can diagnose the faults and either fix it or work round them within the remaining time window within which Mars remains in range of the probe.
If they are unable to fix it and Mars moves out of range the flight will fail not only fail to achieve its own misson objectives. China’s Martian satellite Yinghuo – 1is piggy backing on the main spacecraft. CM
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The USA 1 - Commies zero
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