while "phobos" means fear. Victor Rubio is an expert on human behavior at the Autonomous University of Madrid.

VOA: special.2009.11.17

The Phobos-Grunt probe is one of the most ambitious Russian projects in over a decade.

FORBES: Russian Mars Probe Will Probably Fall To Earth Next Month

The agency reports that its tracking station in Perth, Australia, picked up a signal from the Phobos-Grunt probe.

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

The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft was put in orbit on Wednesday, but failed to fire the engine that was designed to take it on to the Red Planet.

BBC: Stricken Mars probe stays silent