Experts count down to doomed Russian probe

By Leonard David

updated 1/14/2012 5:27:21 PM ET

"...Orbital debris experts suggest that Phobos-Grunt's fuel tanks, reportedly made of aluminum that contains unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine, or UDMH, will explode high above the Earth. Those heat-succumbing tanks would therefore release the load of propellant to burn up in Earth's atmosphere.

Roscosmos
This graphic shows the projected trajectory for the Phobos-Grunt probe, as calculated by Russia's space agency. Re-entry could conceivably come anywhere along the blue track. This projection suggests that the probe has no chance of hitting North America, but the forecast is still subject to change.
"The 'it just burns up' issue remains, invisible frankly," said Martin Ross, director of The Aerospace Corp.'s Center for Launch Emissions and Atmospheric Research in El Segundo, Calif.
"What is needed is a full accounting of the material that gets vaporized and re-condenses into small particles that may remain in the upper atmosphere for many years," Ross told Space.com. "Some of these particles may influence chemistry, since the vaporized materials are exotic in some cases, in that region of the atmosphere in subtle ways. It remains a question mark..."

Article can be found here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45998627/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.TxNRaG-86WS

Update:
Crashed into the Pacific, West of Chile-

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/15/world/europe/russia-mars-probe/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft re-entered and burned up 18:45 GMT on Sunday, 15 January, of the Chilean coast in the southern Pacific.

It had been observed on 1 JAN 12 orbiting in a "backwards" trajectory, preventing the solar panels from receiving sufficient sunlight to power the spacecraft.

There are other more sinister possibilities that may have affected the crafts demise...

Wonder if we will ever find out?

Interesting info, Rick. Thanks!!!