As a part of Sputnik anniversary celebration a big space science conference was organized in IKI (Institute for space research) this week. See program for more details. In particular, detailed description of Phobos-Grunt was presented (mission profile, instruments and all of science), as well as a lot of Mars-related stuff and new results from Venus Express (clouds dynamics, wind and temperature profiles, surface as seen by VIRTIS, rare species determination with SPICAV and solid lightning evidences by MAG).

Also a comprehensive space science exhibition was organized at IKI. Mockups, posters, unique hardware from previous missions. Some interesting photos from there :

Marsokhod (mars rover). This one was originally developed for Mars-92 mission



DAS (Dolgovremennaya Avtonomnaya Stantsiya), a long-lived probe, that had to be dropped on the Phobos surface during Fobos mission.



Vega balloon and its wind sensor



Another views of Fobos-Grunt mockup.


Photo: Venerokhod (venus rover) during testing.


One of numerous FG posters

All images should be clickable. Another 91 photos can be found here.

Best regards!

Very nice pictures! Thank you!

Thanks, IM4!

Wow...Marsokhod is particularly impressive. Doesn't even look like it would need airbags to land; just drop it straight down, and it'll damn well climb right out of the resulting crater with impunity!!!