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| Phobos-Grunt |
| Organization |
Russia |
| Mission type |
Orbiter, lander, sample return |
| Flyby of |
Phobos |
| Satellite of |
Mars |
| Launch date |
October 2009 |
| Launch vehicle |
Soyuz launcher |
| Mission duration |
2012 |
Phobos-Grunt (rus. Фобос-Грунт) is a planned Russian sample return mission to Phobos, one of the moons of Mars. It will be the first Russian interplanetary mission since the failed Mars 96 mission.
[edit] Overview
Phobos-Grunt will study Mars and its environment, including atmosphere and dust storms, plasma and radiation. Development started in 2001 and the preliminary design was completed in 2004. After that, the selection of scientific instruments will take place. Electric jet propulsion is considered for this mission. Phobos-Grunt is scheduled to be launched in October 2009 on a Soyuz launcher. It will return to Earth in 2012.[1]
[edit] Partners
In August 2006, China announced that it would supply the survey equipment for the mission.[2] Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian Space Agency said in September 2006 that the agency is planning to sign a contract with China by the end of the year.[3] As of May 2007, this agreement consists of the Chinese Yinghuo-1 being sent together to Mars with Phobos-Grunt on October, 2009. On August-September 2010, after a 10 – 11.5 months cruise, Yinghuo-1 separates and enters a 800 x 80,000 km three day equatorial orbit (5° inclination). The spacecraft is expected to remain on Martian orbit for one year. Phobos-Grunt and Yinghuo-1 will complete occultation experiments.
It is also planned to include two MetNet Mars landers, developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute, as a payload to the mission.[4][5]
[edit] Mission objectives and studies
- Collect soil samples from Phobos and return them to Earth for scientifc research on Phobos, Mars, and Martian space.
- In situ and remote studies of Phobos (to include analysis of soil samples)
- Monitoring the atmospheric behavior of Mars, including the dynamics of dust storms
- Studies of the vicinity of Mars, to include its radiation environment and plasma and dust[6]
[edit] Etymology
Its name is derived from two simple characteristics of the mission. "Grunt" in this context means 'soil' (a sample of which will hopefully be returned to Earth) while "Phobos" is obviously the mission's destination.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- M. Ya. Marov, V. S. Avduevsky, E. L. Akim, T. M. Eneev, R. S. Kremnevich, S. D. Kulikovich, K. M. Pichkhadzec, G. A. Popov, G. N. Rogovshyc (2004). "Phobos-Grunt: Russian sample return mission". Advances in Space Research 33 (12): 2276-2280. doi:10.1016/S0273-1177(03)00515-5.
[edit] External links
