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Lost Russian Mars Probe Phones Home

Posted by samzenpus on from the it-was-just-resting dept.

astroengine writes "The lost Russian Mars mission Phobos-Grunt has made a surprise announcement: she's alive. According to the European Space Agency (ESA) in the early hours of Wednesday morning, a tracking station in Perth, Australia, picked up a signal from the ailing spacecraft."

9 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. She's alive by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Funny

    She's alive? I felt sure being a probe it had to be part of a male.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    1. Re:She's alive by GameboyRMH · · Score: 5, Funny

      Maybe the probe has realized that it's a lesbian and doesn't want to go to Mars, and wants to reroute to Venus instead? Maybe it's been sitting up there in silent introspection and is now ready to come out of the closet to ground control. I'm sure they'll be proud and supportive no matter which planet it wants to go to.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  2. ISR by Cigarra · · Score: 5, Funny

    In Soviet Russia, the probe phones YOU!

    Oh wait...

    --
    I don't have a sig.
  3. Re:Phobos-Grunt's message by camperdave · · Score: 5, Funny

    The transmission from Phobos-Grunt was rather cryptic - it consisted only of the line "I will tear off my clothes for Putin".

    All the French Canadians are excited, and miffed about the misspelling of poutine.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  4. Re:And the message is... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... "I'm back"?

    Nope - more along the lines of `I have a bunch of volitile hydrazine, a computer capable of calculating ballistic trajectories and a bad attitude. You'd best welcome your new Overlord.'

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  5. I can here it sining this in space: by Konster · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've experiments to run.
    There is research to be done.
    On the people who are
    still alive.
    And believe me I am
    still alive.
    I'm doing science and I'm
    still alive.
    I feel fantastic and I'm
    still alive.
    While you're dying I'll be
    still alive.
    And when you're dead I will be
    still alive.

    Still alive.

    Still alive.

  6. Re:And the message is... by NatasRevol · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Hello, I am Peggy"

    --
    There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
  7. Re:And the message is... by heypete · · Score: 5, Funny

    No, probably something like "LAUNCH PHASE COMPLETE. PRESS ENTER TO CONTINUE.", but it only accepts input from the on-board keyboard.

  8. Re:And the message is... by ediron2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    No, the message was:

    "Ahhh! Woooh! What's happening? Who am I? Why am I here? What's my purpose in life? What do I mean by who am I? Okay okay, calm down calm down get a grip now. Ooh, this is an interesting sensation. What is it? ... And what's this thing coming toward me very fast? So big and flat and round, it needs a big wide sounding name like 'Ow', 'Ownge', 'Round', 'Grunt'! That's it! Grunt! Ha!

    I wonder if it'll be friends with me?"

    Admit it, "Phobos Grunt" sounds like Douglas Adams jokingly came up with the name.