... I don't know how they can claim it's functioning properly and sun-pointed...without telemetry. I wonder how much of this is a language barrier issue.

TMI from the Zenit's second stage was received ahd the SC separation was nominal. The first and the only telemetry from SC was obtained during first orbit, confirming SB deployment, normal solar orientation and correct functioning of all systems.
After the second round, F-G was found on the parking orbit and silent. There is no TMI for the past day had been received. This night attempts to restart BKU (flight computer) were unsuccessful. Attempts will be repeated tonight.

EDIT: Reuters article indicates that the three-day deadline is imposed by battery limits. This implies that the spacecraft is not power-positive...which in turn also may confirm that it indeed did not separate from the Fregat.

Anyhow, I wish the very best of luck to the Russians starting on Tuesday on their first mission to Mars since 1996!It took a lot of perseverance and patience for these guys, working with ridiculous budgets; I believe the cost of Fobos- Grunt is... 64 million dollars?

I will be taking time off from work just to watch the Zenith taking off (by the way, does anybody know of a site where it will be shown live from Baikonur??)...

I wonder if they plan to (or even can) operate the lander, after the ascent stage has left on the flight back to Earth?

I've not noticed this rumour anywhere else, and it seems hard to square with its reportedly being shipped to the launch site as reported in Emily's What's Up posting.

- The H-maser (atomic clock) was turned on and internal test
has shown that the clock works properly, its stability
is reported to be within the specs.
- Tests of "VIRK", the system which includes high-gain 1.5-m
diameter antennae and is used to contact with the tracking station
in Pushchino, continue. The so-called "open loop", the tone signal
at 8 GHz, was successfully detected in Pushchino and is being used
to perform Doppler measurements of the orbit parameters.
The 15 GHz tone signal was also successfully detected.
- Today, the first system temperature measurements were
performed for the Australian-made 18 cm astronomical receiver
while the space telescope was pointed on a cold sky;
the system temperature is estimated to be about 42 K
which is close to receiver's specifications.

Plans for the near future:
- VIRK pointing correction measurements and 15 GHz data link tests,
- performance measurements for all the other astronomical receivers
of the 92, 6, and 1.3 cm bands,
- Cassiopea A first light single-dish radio astronomical observations
including space radio telescope efficiency measurements.

Orbital operations with Russian astrophysical observatory Spectrum-R which had been launched from Baikonur on July 18 continue successfully.
Radiotelescope mirror has been successfully deployed on July 23.