Photos: Russia's Phobos-Grunt Mission to Mars Moon

Phobos-Grunt Nearing Mars Moon Phobos

Roscosmos

An artist's concept of the Phobos-Grunt spacecraft nearing the Martian moon Phobos, something the failed probe never got to do.

Phobos-Grunt Imaged by Fraunhofer FHR

Fraunhofer FHR

The Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR in Wachtberg, Germany has produced this image of Phobos-Grunt, created with the TIRA space observation radar. One can clearly see the extended solar panels (center) and the tank ring (bottom).

Phobos-Grunt Captured in Video

Thierry Legault

The failed Russian mission to one of Mars' small moons was captured by Thierry Legault and Emmanuel Rietsch (http://legault.perso.sfr.fr) on video, New Year's Day 2012.

The Fall of Russia's Mars Probe Phobos-Grunt (Infographic)

SPACE.com/Karl Tate

Failed Russian Mars probe Phobos-Grunt, trapped in Earth orbit since launch, is expected to re-enter the atmosphere in January, 2012.

Phobos-Grunt Projected Re-entry Map

Russian Federal Space Agency

The failed Russian Mars probe Phobos-Grunt is predicted to crash back to Earth between Jan. 14 and Jan. 16, 2012. The spacecraft will fall somewhere between 51.4 degrees north latitude and 51.4 degrees south latitude, as shown in the diagram.

Phobos-Grunt Spacecraft Photographed on Dec. 28, 2011

Ralf Vandebergh

Astrophotographer Ralf Vandebergh took this image of Russia's Phobos-Grunt probe on Dec. 28, 2011, as the troubled spacecraft flew over Europe.

Planetary Society's Phobos LIFE Biomodule Test Version

Bruce Betts/The Planetary Society

The Planetary Society's Phobos LIFE biomodule is carried within the Phobos-Grunt’s re-entry capsule. Shown here is a test model used to fabricate the final LIFE hardware.

Phobos-Grunt Launches Toward Mars Moon Phobos

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

A Zenit rocket launches into space carrying Russia's Phobos-Grunt spacecraft toward Mars on a mission to collect samples of the Martian moon Phobos. Liftoff occured on Nov. 9, 2011 Local Time from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (Nov. 8 EST).

Phobos-Grunt Minutes Before Launch

Spaceflight Now

Russia's Phobos-Grunt spacecraft sits atop its Zenit rocket just minutes before blasting off on Nov. 8, 2011.

Phobos-Grunt Rocket Raised for Launch

Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos)

The Zenit 2SB rocket carrying Russia's Phobos-Grunt spacecraft bound for Mars is raised into position for a planned Nov. 8, 2011 (EST) launch. The mission is aimed at retrieving samples of Phobos to scientists on Earth.

Mars Moon Phobos

Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

Mars' largest moon Phobos, as seen during a recent flyby performed by the European spacecraft Mars Express.

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