Phys Org
October 31, 2022
In 1877, American astronomer Asaph Hall discovered two small moons circling the planet Mars, later named Phobos and Deimos after the Greek for “fear” and “panic.”
But it was excitement, rather than fear and panic, that characterized the close encounter with Phobos made by ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft in the run up to Halloween this year. The recent flyby of the larger Martian moon offered the perfect opportunity to test one of the 19-year-old spacecraft’s latest upgrades.