Nozomi Abandoned by Japan Space Agency

rufey writes "Space.com is reporting that officials at JAXA, Japan's space agency, were unable to fix the problems plaguing Nozomi and have therefore abandoned all efforts to get it to orbit Mars. The main problem is lack of fuel. Instead of surveying Mars, JAXA is planning on using the probe, as it orbits the Sun, for other things such as solar activity. This is just one of four Mars probes that are scheduled to arrive at Mars in the next 60 days."

Comments

Re:iq/sanity tests for expenditure 500mil please

[Anonymous Coward]

That one NASA sent in the 70's worked fine. Viking was it?

It that classic surface picture that looks strikingly like the red deserts of Arizona.

"ooh ooh is he theorizing??"

Mars curse claims another probe

[bandy]

One down, a few more to go:

• January 2004: two US rovers
  
• EASA's Mars Express arrives in about 15 days with British Beagle 2 due to land in 14-15 days