When did the Fobos-Grunt mission launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome?
The spacecraft launched on the 8th of November 2011 at 20:16 UTC. This event marked Russia's first attempt to reach Mars since the failed Mars 96 probe in 1996.
Questions about Fobos-Grunt
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What caused the failure of the Fobos-Grunt sample return mission?
A programming error triggered a simultaneous reboot of two computer channels which prevented the rocket pack from firing. The final report confirmed the mission ended due to this software malfunction rather than external attacks or cosmic radiation bursts.
Where did the Fobos-Grunt debris fall after reentry into Earth atmosphere?
Military sources reported fragments fell into the Pacific Ocean west of Wellington Island Chile around 17:45 UTC on the 15th of January 2012. Civilian ballistic experts disputed this claim suggesting debris spread across a broader area including Goiás state Brazil.
How much money was allocated for the initial development and total lifetime cost of Fobos-Grunt?
The project cost 1.5 billion rubles initially with an expected total of 5 billion rubles over its lifetime. A feasibility study began in 1999 with a budget of 9 million roubles before funding stalled progress for years.
Which international partners contributed instruments to the Fobos-Grunt spacecraft payload?
China provided the Yinghuo-1 orbiter while Poland added a backup drill system and Bulgaria included radiation measurement experiments. The Planetary Society funded the Living Interplanetary Flight Experiment and Finland designed two MetNet landers that were removed due to weight constraints.