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Russia launches unmanned mission to Mars
If all goes well, the probe will bring back a soil sample from one of its moons back to Earth.
Last Modified: 08 Nov 2011 21:52

Scientists in Russia have launched a robotic spacecraft to Phobos, a moon of Mars. The mission, that blasted off on Wednesday, is the first planetary mission since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Earlier the crew of a simulated mission to the Red Planet spoke about what it was like to be locked away in a capsule for 520 days.

The experiment was designed to test whether it is possible for humans to endure the round trip.

Al Jazeera's Neave Barker reports from Moscow.
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Al Jazeera
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