phoenix Lander has frozen to death
November 23rd 2008 06:40
Phoenix was a robotic spacecraft on a space exploration mission to Mars under the Mars Scout Program .
Phoenix was launched on August 4, 2007 It was the first successful landing on a polar region of Mars.
Due to the effects of the Martian winter and a low sun angle the phoenix Lander has for the most part frozen to death. The current status of Phoenix. Is now in a survival mode. The mission was declared concluded on November 10, 2008, after engineers were unable to contact the craft. Several brief contacts were made with the Lander in early November since then the Lander has become silent.
Problems were uncounted when Phoenix onboard computer ran out of power. Due to the low Sun angle the solar arrays were unable to maintain heat and much need power for the Lander.
Although the Phoenix Mars Lander mission was to last three-months it surpassed its original mission, lasting five months in the Martian northern plains, providing valuable data and confirming that some water is still present on Mars.
The sound of phoenix as it descended to the Martian surface picked up by the Mars Express Orbiter orbiting Mars.
*Listen to Phoenix*
Phoenix was launched on August 4, 2007 It was the first successful landing on a polar region of Mars.
Due to the effects of the Martian winter and a low sun angle the phoenix Lander has for the most part frozen to death. The current status of Phoenix. Is now in a survival mode. The mission was declared concluded on November 10, 2008, after engineers were unable to contact the craft. Several brief contacts were made with the Lander in early November since then the Lander has become silent.
The crater is about 35Km wide The bright material is water ice you can see frost patches on the rim of the crater
Although the Phoenix Mars Lander mission was to last three-months it surpassed its original mission, lasting five months in the Martian northern plains, providing valuable data and confirming that some water is still present on Mars.
The sound of phoenix as it descended to the Martian surface picked up by the Mars Express Orbiter orbiting Mars.
*Listen to Phoenix*
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Comment by Damo
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Comment by CarlCan
Astroearth
Funny you should mention the heater it was the oven onboard Phoenix that caused most of the problem.
Mission control spotted a huge dust storm heading to the Lander. The command sequence to turn off the oven used for water experiments was sent too late the batteries were depleted causing computer and communication problems.
Unfortunately when summer returns to Mars the damage by then will be too great.