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In addition to being the cutest little robotic spacecraft ever designed Phobos-Grunt (Phobos-Soil) is an unmanned lander that will study Phobos and then return a soil sample to Earth. It will also study Mars from orbit, including its atmosphere and dust storms, plasma and radiation. The mission may be propelled by controllable electric jet propulsion due to its capability for smooth changing of the propulsion output parameters along the flight trajectory. Phobos-Grunt is currently scheduled to be launched in October 2009 on a Zenit rocket launcher with a Fregat upper stage. The return vehicle will be back on Earth in 2012. An alternative launch window would be in 2011."
