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Nature 444, 526-527 (30 November 2006) | doi:10.1038/444526b; Published online 29 November 2006

A space dilemma: extend missions or start afresh?

Katharine Sanderson

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Loss of Mars probe prompts bout of soul searching.

Scientists said a sad goodbye last week to the orbiting spacecraft Mars Global Surveyor, which had gone missing two weeks earlier.The mission has been portrayed as heroically long-lived, surpassing all expectations and being extended four times until scientists finally lost contact with it just before the tenth anniversary of its launch.