"Failed Russian Probe Coming Home"

[Davian]

"According to a statement and map released by Roskosmos, the Russian space agency’s stranded Phobos-Grunt Mars probe will most likely crash into the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta between January 14 and 16.

Roskosmos said the predicted spot and time were subject to change.

In an embarrassing setback, the $165-million probe designed to travel to the Mars moon of Phobos and bring back soil samples blasted off on November 9 but failed to leave the Earth’s orbit.

The predicted window for the fall of debris from Phobos-Grunt to Earth is between the 15th and 16th of January, with a middle point of January 15 at 12:16 GMT. The possible crash zone is within a band from 51.4 degrees north and 51.4 degrees south,” said the agency in a statement."

Phobos-Grunt probe to spill its toxic payload into Indian Ocean between Saturday and Monday: Russia | News | National Post


Real-time tracking of this soon-to-be-ex-satellite:

LIVE REAL TIME SATELLITE TRACKING AND PREDICTIONS

 

[Davian]

Additional information, for those that may have missed it:

"FOBOS-GRUNT is a sample return mission to Phobos, one of the moons of Mars. Funded by the Russian space agency Roscosmos, and developed by NPO Lavochkin and the Russian Space Research Institute, Fobos-Grunt is to become the first Russian interplanetary mission since the failed Mars 96. It is also set to become the first spacecraft to return a macroscopic extraterrestrial sample from a planetary body since Luna 24 in 1976. Lift-off occurred successfully at 20:16 GMT on 8 November 2011 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, but the spacecraft failed to depart Earth orbit shortly afterwards. If it can be rescued, the spacecraft is scheduled to reach Mars' orbit in September 2012 and land on Phobos in February 2013. The return vehicle, carrying up to 200 g of soil from Phobos, is expected to be back on Earth in August 2014."

Source:
PHOBOS-GRUNT Satellite details 2011-065A NORAD 37872

 

[AV1611VET]

In an embarrassing setback,

If it's embarrassing, why are you posting it?

 

[Orogeny]

Because scientists are more interested in learning from our mistakes than hiding them.

 

[AV1611VET]

Because scientists are more interested in learning from our mistakes than hiding them.

Then why are they blushing?

 

[Orogeny]

Because they wasted a metric butt load of money. Embarrassment is an integral part of learning from one's mistakes.

But then you wouldn't know that- you've never been wrong, have you pal?

 

[AV1611VET]

Because they wasted a ... load of money.

I guess Mars will have to wait another $165,000,000.00 before they send something up there to find nothing?

I'm sure children in Slumfest have their fingers crossed that the next one will be successful.

 

[Bill5612]

Why do these things always fall on Australia?

Bill

 

[Upisoft]

Why do these things always fall on Australia?

Bill

Don't ask, just extract the precious metals before they come and get it...

 

[Split Rock]

I guess Mars will have to wait another $165,000,000.00 before they send something up there to find nothing?

I'm sure children in Slumfest have their fingers crossed that the next one will be successful.

I'm sure they are also happy with the success of the Creation Museum.

 

[Davian]

I guess Mars will have to wait another $165,000,000.00 before they send something up there to find nothing?

I'm sure children in Slumfest have their fingers crossed that the next one will be successful.

AV, are you able to prophesize the avenue of scientific endeavours currently in the works that will produce future benefits that you will judge to be acceptable and cost-justified?