Astronomy current events question: Phobos-Grunt mission

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Jonathan Amos, "Asteroid Lutetia May Have Core of Hot Melted Metal," November 9, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15631472

The Russian Space Agency Phobos-Grunt spacecraft, which is experiencing technical problems, was intended to travel to Mars to:
(A) bring back a sample from one of its moons.
(B) burrow underground to search for water.
(C) produce fuel for future space missions.
(D) search for the defunct NASA Spirit rover.
(E) map the "face on Mars" with high-resolution radar.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 38 students
(B) : 8 students
(C) : 0 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 7 students