ESA ends attempt to contact Russian probe (AP)

MOSCOW ? The European Space Agency says it has abandoned efforts to contact a rogue Russian space probe, increasing the likelihood it will plunge to Earth.

The unmanned Phobos-Ground probe was to head to the Mars moon of Phobos on a 2 1/2-year mission to take soil samples and fly them back to Earth.

But the probe became stuck in Earth orbit after its Nov. 9 launch and attempts to send commands that could propel it toward the Mars moon have been unsuccessful.

An ESA statement Friday said that although the agency has halted efforts to contact the probe, it will resume if any changes are reported by the Russian space agency.

Russian deputy space chief Vitaly Davydov said last month that the spacecraft could fall to Earth between late December and late February.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_mars_mission

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