Yinghuo-1 was a Chinese
Mars-exploration space probe, intended to be the first Chinese spacecraft to explore Mars. It was launched from
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on 8 November 2011, along with the
Russian Fobos-Grunt sample return spacecraft, which was intended to visit Mars' moon
Phobos. The 115-kg (250-lb) Yinghuo-1 probe was intended by the
CNSA to orbit Mars for about two years, studying the planet's surface, atmosphere,
ionosphere and
magnetic field. Shortly after launch, Fobos-Grunt was expected to perform two burns to depart Earth orbit bound for Mars. However, these burns did not take place, leaving both probes stranded in orbit. On 17 November 2011, Chinese state media reported that Yinghuo-1 had been declared lost by the CNSA. After a period of
orbital decay, Yinghuo-1 and Fobos-Grunt underwent destructive re-entry on 15 January 2012, finally disintegrating over the Pacific Ocean.