back to article Mars orbiter finds remains of pioneering Soviet Mars 3 probe

A crowdsourcing effort by Russian space enthusiasts appears to have found the remains of the first probe to successfully land on Mars, using images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The Mars 3 mission, consisting of a satellite and landing vehicle, was sent to the Red Planet by the then-Soviet Union in 1971 and …

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  1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Unhappy

    On a level with the UK's "Beagle" effort.

    Come to think of it, the Soviet Union and Blighty also both managed to seriously blow out nuclear reactors.

    More in common than one would at first think.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      On a level with the UK's "Beagle" effort.

      Isn't Beagle significantly deeper?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Wait. When did we have a blow out of nuclear reactors? Did I sleep through something this morning?

      1. John Hughes
        Mushroom

        UK leads the way...

        Windscale.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windscale_fire

        1. Dave 62
          Boffin

          Re: UK leads the way...

          I think Windscale was actually considerably smaller than Chernobyl, Fukushima or Kyshtym. Depends how you rate the severity.

          As far as I know there were no direct fatalities unlike SL-1 meltdown and there have been at least two nuclear stuff related fatalities at Los-Alamos (both in the US) so it's more on par with 3-mile (also US).

          So no, the radioactive woopsy club is not an exclusive Anglo-Russo monopoly.

          Boffin icon because you must wear goggles, the goggles will save you.

          1. Captain Scarlet Silver badge
            Coffee/keyboard

            Re: UK leads the way...

            McBain disagrees

          2. RegGuy1 Silver badge
            Mushroom

            Re: UK leads the way...

            I remember a TV program about this the other year. The lead scientist was quite rightly pissed off because his political masters had allowed the accident to be blamed on the scientists, when in reality they were being told to advance their experiments too quickly. (We had to keep up in the atom bomb race.)

            His description of the politicians has always stuck in my mind: "shower of bastards."

            Atom-bomb logo for obvious reasons.

  2. Don Jefe
    Thumb Up

    Neat

    It is pretty fuckin cool when Russian volunteer citizens can use U.S. govt property to remotely explore Mars & find lost spacecraft!

    It wasn't too long ago when the very thought of letting the Damn Commies access our satellite photography would land you on the naughty list.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Neat

      Cool indeed. Standing in Red Square was a strange experience for someone brought up in the cold war.

      On a side note is "crowd sourcing" another term for communism?

  3. Robert E A Harvey
    Coat

    Dissapointed

    No pics of short chaps in cowls carrying bits away as scrap!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Dissapointed

      ...but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers

      1. Shagbag

        WWII

        I expect they're sheltering in the WWII Bomber that was found on Mars.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Alien

          Re: WWII

          That was found on the MOON, not Mars.

          I believe the US Airforce explained it as a simple navigation error on the way back from bombing Hamburg - Should have gone to SpecSavers????

          Re the Russian lander - any sign of tracks left by the Martian Tripods yet?? We all know they are the reason all the earlier probes failed so mysteriously.

          1. Robert E A Harvey

            tracks left by the Martian Tripods yet?

            Nah. That'd be a million-to-one surely?

  4. Winkypop Silver badge
    Joke

    If it had any wheels

    What's the bet they've been nicked?

  5. crediblywitless

    Musing...

    Do they have similar pictures of the Cydonia region yet?

    1. The lone lurker

      Re: Musing...

      Cydonia was pareidolia at it's finest, they've had high resolution scans of that region for some time now, nothing but rocks after all! There is however a smiley face in Galle Crater!

      http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/craters/PIA01676.html

      The NASA or Wikipedia page has some good comparison images of the Cydonia Mesa:

      http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/mgs_cydonia.html

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cydonia_%28region_of_Mars%29

      Unfortunately searching for "Cydonia" on Google very quickly leads you into the weirder parts of the internet where Richard Hoagland is king.

  6. Chris G

    The first photo from Mars

    Clearly depicts millions of Grasshopper like beings culling each other!

    That's why there are none left now, after seeing where their new invader had crashed in from; the thought of becoming part of a culture that had to queue three days for a loaf of bread made them self destruct.

    1. Crisp

      Re: The first photo from Mars

      What?

      It's clearly a bunny rabbit.

      1. Dave 62

        Re: The first photo from Mars

        I don't see any rabbit?

        Perhaps the retro rocket was not vewy quiet?

    2. EL Vark

      Re: The first photo from Mars

      Yes, I can see them... Jumping! Leaping! It were 'orrible!

    3. Stratman

      Re: The first photo from Mars

      It's a level from Lemmings

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wow. This is a wonderful find. I would love to imagine a Kerbal Space Program type "rescue" mission to reactivate the rovers. But I think that would be a long way off, as until we get regular trips to Mars, there will be little ability to recover these.

    1. Don Jefe
      Joke

      Man, have you not seen any sci-fi movies or shows. You never reactivate probes you find in other planets. One could argue they shouldn't be opened either but certainly not reactivated.

      1. FutureShock999
        Mushroom

        Nuke 'em

        We have to nuke those old probes from orbit, it's the only way to be sure....

    2. Dave 62
      Angel

      I would love for this to happen.

      XKCD 695 put a lump in my throat.

      One day we will have a museum on Mars, chronicling our efforts to explore it.

      School children will be in awe of the antiquated technology.

      'Why didn't they simply use fusion drive rockets?' they will inquire of Alfred the venerable tour guide.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'm looking for

    three circles moving erily across the lander and Capain Black re-appearing

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I knew it!

    And they told me all those years of playing "Where's Ivan?" would never pay off....

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Next on the list--Dr. Manhattan's doomsday clock and summer palace!!

    Just look for a smiley-face shaped crater!!

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