Russian Official Suggests Weapon Caused Exploration Spacecraft’s Failure (Also Destroyed Kursk)

New York Times ^ | Jauary 10, 2012 | Andrew E. Kramer

[lbryce]

A Russian scientific spacecraft whizzing out of control around the Earth, and expected to re-enter the atmosphere on Saturday, may have failed because it was struck by some type of antisatellite weapon, the director of Russia’s space agency said in an interview published Tuesday.

He did not say who would want to interfere with the spacecraft, which was intended to explore a moon of Mars.

The Russian craft, named Phobos-Grunt for the moon and the Russian word for ground, ran into trouble soon after it was launched in November, when its rockets failed to lift it out of low Earth orbit. What was to have been a two-and-a-half-year interplanetary journey to retrieve a soil sample from Phobos will instead end over the weekend, according to Russian engineers.

When the 13-ton Phobos-Grunt breaks up in the atmosphere, debris could potentially fall anywhere along a vast stretch of the Earth’s surface that includes the cities of New York, London and Tokyo. Though the odds are heavily against the debris causing any harm, the spectacle of people around the world anticipating the crash is another embarrassment for Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, which has presided over a series of rocket and satellite failures this year.

A statement from the United States Strategic Command acknowledged that it was tracking the space probe and that it is likely to fall in the next week. “Predictions of re-entry date, time and location can change significantly due to many changing factors, such as solar weather and orientation of the spacecraft,” the statement said. “These predictions become more accurate as the event approaches.”

When Phobos-Grunt first went awry, the director of the Russian space agency, Vladimir Popovkin, said that a flawed navigational computer might be to blame.

[lbryce]

The best of Russia's great military-indusrial minds have had severe setbacks in dramatic fashion. The pride of the Russian navy, the double-hullled submarine, the Kursk, sunk to the bottom of the ocean in horrific. ignonominous disaster. Their attempt to send a probe to Mars has fared no better after a string of many failures, culiminating with the most recent Phobos Grunt. If you were Russian, you've got to wonder, be a bit paranoid, too. Someone's been messing with either their technology or is it just their minds?

[edpc]

This worked out better than the trouble they had with the Venus probe back in the 70s. Thank God for Colonel Steve Austin.

[edpc]

This worked out better than the trouble they had with the Venus probe back in the 70s. Thank God for Colonel Steve Austin.

[Westbrook]

I spent a little time in Russia, where I learned this motto from some of the workers I met.

“They pretend to pay us, and we pretend to work.”

[Vaquero]

in other news, Putin takes off his shirt and wrestles a Siberian tiger....film at 11.

[lbryce]

It's starting to appear reminiscent of our own way of life.
We pretend to vote, and they pretend to represent us.

[Eagle of Liberty]

Just a slight change to that:

They pretend to represent us, and we pretend to care.

[bikerman]

in other news, Putin takes off his shirt and wrestles a Siberian tiger....film at 11.

LOL!

[chainsaw]

The next step is: Always blame someone else for our engineering failures.

[McGruff]

Martians again?

[PowderMonkey]

"All these worlds are yours to explore, except Phobos. Attempt no landing there."

[lbryce]

That’s only for the Russians. For the rest of us, it’s only hands off of Europra as far as the Monolith(s) is, are concerned.

[pabianice]

Russia remains a “shell” country. It is still falling apart and struggles to maintain a shell of competence. A friend was a military attache’ to the USSR years ago. He told us of his walking around Moscow unaccompanied and seeing many buildings being basically movie sets — a fancy front propped-up from behind with 4 by 6s so they wouldn’t fall down. Tourists were kept in tow so they could never see behind the facades.

[Jack Hydrazine]

If you google, “Mars Curse” you’ll find that around two-thirds of the space missions to Mars have failed.

[moovova]

Martians again?

I'm thinking Klingons...

[Lazamataz]

Test

[Lazamataz]

Something very weird is happening. I can message you on this thread about anything EXCEPT my intended subject. When I post my true response, it allows preview but will not post.

WTF

[lbryce]

It's even worse than than that. Not one of 18 Soviet and Russian missions sent to the Red Planet has been fully successful. Space Review
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1964/1

The Russian space agency Roscosmos marked Halloween by publishing a photo essay of preparation work on Phobos-Grunt, the Mars probe set to launch from Baikonur on Wednesday. Although the timing was likely coincidental, the symbolism was rich. Mars has been a house of horrors for the Russian and Soviet space programs for the past 50 years. Not one of 18 Soviet and Russian missions sent to the Red Planet has been fully successful. Probes have been lost in launch accidents, blown up in Earth orbit, failed en route, and mysteriously fallen silent just as they were about to fulfill their missions. By contrast, NASA has flown 13 wholly successful missions to Mars in 18 attempts, going five for six on landing. Not one of 18 Soviet and Russian missions sent to the Red Planet has been fully successful. Phobos-Grunt (“Soil”), the first Russian mission to Mars in 15 years, is designed to end the curse. It is one of the largest and most ambitious planetary missions ever launched, with the primary goal of returning nearly a half pound of soil and rock from Phobos. When the Zenit-2 booster lifts on Wednesday, it will carry hopes for not only answering fundamental questions about Mars but for the revival of a long-dormant space exploration program.

[Lurker]

Stay where you are, Mr. Lazamataz. Some nice men in black suits will be along to assist you shortly.

Resistance is futile.

[UCANSEE2]

So.... they are now 0 for 19?