This would be Europe’s second failed Mars landing in a row. But signal was lost before touchdown—evoking the ghost of Europe’s first, failed, bid to land on Mars 13 years ago. This would be Europe’s second failed Mars landing in a row, joining a string of other unsuccessful attempts by global powers to explore our planetary neighbour’s hostile surface. The British-built Beagle 2 robot lab disappeared without trace after separating from its mothership, Mars Express, in 2003. The TGO was successfully placed in Mars orbit on Wednesday, to cheers and applause from ground controllers some 170 million kilometres away.

Source: Mint October 20, 2016 08:48 UTC