Esa Gives Up on Stranded Russian Probe

Unable to get any signal from the stranded Russian Mars probe Phobos-Grunt, the European Space Agency (ESA) is giving up any further attempts to make contact.

The first contact was made with the agency's 15m antenna in Perth, Australia on November 22, succeeded by another which was picked up by Russian ground controllers in Kazakhstan. Complete silence has followed thereafter, prompting the European agency to end calls to the stranded Mars mission.

The Russians however are expected to continue trying with Dr Manfred Warhaut of Esa's European Space Operations Centre (Esoc) affirming that they "will stay available for our Russian colleagues in case there is any sign or glimpse of hope from their side."