New probe to be launched this weekend

Fri Jun 19, 2026 2:49 pm

The newly renamed (and refurbished) Imaginary Space Investigation Service (ISIS) has confirmed all is on track, looking good and tickety-boo for the 'Explorer V' probe which is planned to launch this weekend.

If all goes well, the Explorer will be lifted through the atmosphere and enter semi-stationary orbit on Sunday evening. After a brief systems check in which a robot arm will reach out and jiggle some wires about to make sure they're properly attached, the probe's engines will burn for an additional 125 hours setting it on its long journey to Marrrrrs.

Assuming the burn completes successfully, the probe will then be put into semi-hibernation as it traverses the 850 million miles between the planets (during the semi-hibernation phase the probe will wake only occasionally to perform a system dump), before waking and firing its engines a final time to enter an elliptical orbit around Marrrrrs in around 3 months time (Earth time).

We'll be providing regular updates on the mission as they occur.

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