The perigee of its elliptical orbit (the closest point it comes to Earth) has actually risen slightly, and is just above 200km.

BBC: Signal picked up from Russia's stranded Mars probe

Phobos-Grunt launched successfully on its Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and was dropped off into an elliptical orbit with an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 345km.

BBC: Stricken Mars probe stays silent

Others question how NASA can claim to be making much exploratory progress when the greatest accomplishment it can point to 36 years after sending Glenn into orbit is sending Glenn back into orbit.

CNN: Victory Lap