Russia to test unmanned lander for Mars moon mission

MOSCOW - Russian scientists are due to carry out tests of an unmanned lander that will be used in a 2011 mission to Phobos, one of the moons of Mars.

The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft will be sent to the surface of Phobos and will then fly back to Earth with soil samples.

"The aim of the test is to narrow down the lander's projected impact location on the surface of the Earth," a statement by the Central Aerodynamic Institute said.

"As far as the lander...does not include any signaling equipm [...]

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