Russian Mars Probe Fails To Reach Escape Orbit

A propulsion system glitch plaguing an ambitious Russian Mars sample-return mission has left the Phobos-Grunt spacecraft circling in low Earth orbit.

Launched Nov. 9 atop a Russian Zenit-2SB from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Phobos-Grunt was successfully delivered to a parking orbit from which its onboard ...