Falling to Earth this weekend: Russia’s ill-fated Phobos-Grunt spacecraft

Phobos - Grunt was the select one . It was said that it would contribute an ending toRussia ’s Martian scourge , not extend it . But now , Russia ’s once - promising space vehicle — the country ’s first bid at interplanetary exploration in 15 years — is coming home earlier than planned .

Phobos - Grunt — the spacecraft design to put a lander on the surface of Martian moon Phobos , evolve soil sampling from its surface , and return to Earth in 2014 — launched successfully back in other November only to malfunction short after launching , leaving it stranded in Earth ’s compass . ( What caused the malfunction ? Nobody is certain , though New Scientist reports that Valdimir Popovkin , head of Russia ’s space agency , has alluded to foul play on US ’s part . )

Since then , PG has been spiral nearer and closer to earth . Now , estimates say it will break Earth air on January 15th . Where and when it will make land(sea?)fall , however , stay something of a secret . ( PG is predicted to doss back to earth somewhere between 51.4 degree magnetic north parallel of latitude and 51.4 degrees south parallel of latitude . See the low part in this diagram ? Yeah . Somewhere in there . )

Most of the craft is expected to burn up in Earth ’s standard pressure ( much like NASA’sUARS artificial satellite , which came thrust back to Earth back in September ) , and odds are high that it ’ll land somewhere that you are n’t . call up : even though 20 - 30 bit of rubble are forebode to make it to the planet ’s surface ( librate in at 440 Ezra Loomis Pound total ) , Earth is a cock-a-hoop spot , and most of it is covered in water .

NASA ’s massive derelict artificial satellite will re - figure Earth ’s atmosphere tomorrow good afternoon

ViaSPACE.com . Top persona is from Michael Carroll ’s awesome rendering of PG ’s re - entranceway . See the full image here . Crashdown forecasting video byAGI .

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