> > Yes, but at present we don't really have any way to determine if a specific > meteorite originated from Phobos or Deimos as opposed to asteroids of > similar composition (as best we can determine the composition without > actual samples).
Exactly. >The Russians have been planning to launch a sample return > mission to Phobos for some time. Last I heard they were hopeful of a late > 2004 sendoff. There's been a lot of talk, but the Russians haven't attempted a planetary mission since 1996, so I wouldn't be too hopeful. They actually attempted to land two spacecraft on Phobos. They were launched in 1988, and were aptly named Phobos 1 and Phobos 2. Phobos 1 failed enroute to Mars. Phobos 2 made it into Mars orbit, but contact was lost with the spacecraft shortly before it was to land on the moon. There was also a Discovery mission proposed called Alladin which was a Phobos sample return, but it didn't make the final cut. Ron Baalke ______________________________________________ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
