Russian spaceships can fall to the ground

A source from the Russian space industry said there was little chance of saving the unmanned Russian spacecraft Phobos-Grunt launched on Mars. Currently this spacecraft is trapped on low Earth's orbit.

The source told Russia's Interfax News Agency that attempts at night to try to resume contact with the spacecraft failed. But communications efforts will continue through NASA's Earth base and the European Space Agency.

The $ 165 million spaceship could fall to the ground in the next few weeks if the engineers could not solve the computer-related flight problem.

Launched to Mars's Moon Phobos and brought a Chinese satellite into orbit around Mars, the Phobos-Grunt spacecraft flew off in a few minutes after being launched from Kazakhstan.