Phobos 2 Mars Mission Photographs 'Mystery Object' Before Mission Failure
The Soviet Phobos 2 mission to Mars photographs an anomalous cylindrical object near Mars' moon Phobos shortly before contact is lost on March 27, 1989. The unexplained object — described as a thin, elongated shadow — appeared in infrared images taken just before the spacecraft's failure. Soviet scientists were unable to explain the anomaly. The mission's loss, combined with the earlier failure of Phobos 1 in September 1988, fueled speculation. While technical failure was the official cause, the proximity of the anomalous image to the mission's end raised questions among researchers.
Background
EVENT TITLE: Phobos 2 Mars Mission Photographs 'Mystery Object' Before Mission Failure
EVENT DATE: 1989-03-27
EVENT TYPE: sighting
EXISTING SUMMARY: The Soviet Phobos 2 mission to Mars photographs an anomalous cylindrical object near Mars' moon Phobos shortly before contact is lost on March 27, 1989. The unexplained object — described as a thin, elongated shadow — appeared in infrared images taken just before the spacecraft's failure. Soviet sci
The Soviet Phobos 2 mission experienced a critical failure near Mars in March 1989. Prior to the loss of contact, the spacecraft photographed what has been described as an anomalous cylindrical object in the vicinity of Mars' moon Phobos. This event has fueled speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial involvement.