If you’d begun to build a fallout shelter to protect you from the incoming failed Russian probe Phobos-Grunt and it’s potential Australian crash site, rest easy. The $US165 million spacecraft crashed back to earth yesterday, landing in the Pacific ocean off the coast of Chile.
The 14.5-tonne spacecraft has spent the past two months floating around in orbit after failing to fire its rockets to send it on its way to Mars’ moon Phobos. While it’s unclear how much of the spacecraft actually made it all the way back down to earth, the vast majority is believed to have burnt up in re-entry.
While it’s a relief the probe landed harmlessly in the ocean, you can’t help but think that it was one hell of a way to blow $165 million…
[Space]
Ozoneocean
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 4:54 PMIt’s hilarious how many idiots are commenting on news sites about “the highly toxic satellite” falling in the ocean. Christ, it’s hard to believe they’re the same species as me, let alone the same nationality.
The toxic stuff was the fuel, it burnt up. It’s great the solid debris fell in the ocean because it didn’t hit anything.
Anyway, yeah… I hope they were insured.
James
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:23 PMI’m also intrigued as to how they decide upon a weight for this thing. Or rather… they don’t.
In a previous article, I’m sure I was told the satellite was 13.2 tonnes
nebarik
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 6:28 PMoh russia, mars just isnt your planet, give up already :D
Jazz
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 11:24 PMI guess $165million doesn’t buy what it used to…