Hi folks,
saw this online. It seems the Martian route is still jinxed! Japan's Nozomi Probe, its first interplanetary mission, is the first casualty of the multi-probe rendez-vous happening in the next 3 weeks:
www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/12/11/prime.number.ap/index.html
Unfortuantely, the malfunctions which sent its trajectory off, and corrections using up valuable fuel, were caused by the solar flare outbreaks last month and before. Otherwise, it was in top shape for things to have come. The threat of it crashing into Mard is below 1%.
Seanie.
  