The European Space Agency confirmed its Mars probe crash-landed, ending two days of speculation following the probe's unexpected radio silence about a minute before its planned landing. It's likely Europe's Schiaparelli probe exploded on impact. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has identified a large dark patch in the robot's targeted landing zone consistent with a high-velocity impact. Schiaparelli was meant to test technology for a more ambitious European Mars landing in 2020.