MOSCOW. May 6 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Space Agency Roskosmos and Lavochkin Design Bureau are planning to launch the Phobos Grunt unmanned lander to Phobos, one of the satellites of Mars, this year, Roskosmos said in a press release posted on its website.
"Creating this spacecraft is one of our biggest priorities. The schedule is tight, all work to create the Phobos Grunt space complex is in total agreement with the 2009 launch deadline," the statement said.
The Phobos Grunt mission to deliver soil from the Mars' satellite is two years behind schedule because the spacecraft is not ready, a source familiar with the situation told Interfax-AVN earlier.
"The launch of Phobos Grunt has been postponed due to technical problems. Lavochkin Design Bureau is simply unable to complete the spacecraft physically before the end of the year. The next suitable "window" for the launch will open in 2011," the source said.
According to the Lavochkin Design Bureau's website, the launch of Phobos Grunt is scheduled for 2009. Scientists hope that sample soil from the satellite of Mars will help clarify a number of questions about the formation of the solar system.