spacetoday.net: Phobos-Grunt remains stranded in orbit

Posted: Fri, Nov 11, 2011, 7:05 AM ET (1205 GMT)
Phobos-Grunt illustration (Roscosmos)

Phobos-Grunt, the Russian Mars mission launched early Wednesday, is still in Earth orbit after the latest efforts to establish contact with the spacecraft failed. Russian officials said early Friday they made several efforts to listen to signals from the spacecraft as it passed over Russian and other ground stations, but heard nothing. Communications with the spacecraft have failed since shortly after its launch vehicle placed the spacecraft into a parking orbit. Two engine burns scheduled for a few hours after launch to put the spacecraft on a trajectory towards Mars did not take place. Russian sources quoted in media reports say they are becoming very doubtful that the spacecraft can be recovered. Some reports indicate that there are only a few days to restore Phobos-Grunt before its batteries run out, while others say there's up to two weeks, at which time the spacecraft's orbit will delay to the point it will reenter the Earth's atmosphere.