Mars - let's go !!

[ebarker]

The Russians launched a robot to Mars, collect samples and then come back to earth. Just this morning it got stuck (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/11/russia-mars-phobos-grunt/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Ind ex+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher) - really stuck.


Tomorrow NASA is holding a press conference to talk about the status of the MSL (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html)

.

[~Cory~]

:(

Always makes me sad when something truly awesome fails. Anyone know the relative difficulty to get it out of orbit?

[ebarker]

To send it on the way to Mars either

1) fix the problem with the current orbiting configuration....remotely

2) go visit the spacecraft...fix it in person

3) send another rocket up with a robotic booster that can dock, then push it out of earth orbit and onto a trajectory toward Mars.

2 and 3 are not likely to happen.

1 isn't probably looking so hot either. I'm just speculating because I don't have any details.