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A University of Arizona telescope used for asteroid detection has seen what looks like two "parallel trails" near where the CONTOUR probe should have been, suggesting it may have broken apart. The probe went missing on Thursday after its solid-propulsion rocket was scheduled to burn above the Pacific. It is possible that a malfunction within the rocket caused the spacecraft to break-up into pieces. Mission spokesman Mike Buckley told Reuters news agency "The team will look over weekend with some radar and radio and telescope images and determine what might be. It was located pretty close to where Contour might be. So we are definitely not encouraged by that news,". CONTOUR was scheduled to send automated broadcasts via its antennas on Monday which will answer whether the debris seen from Arizona is the remains of the spacecraft.
More info: CONTOUR Website
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