The Phoenix has landed
May 26th 2008 08:34
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft has landed, on Mars's northern polar region, despite NASA’s previous failures from two unsuccessful Mars missions, MPL and MSP ‘01, this mission was a success.
Phoenix was built from parts left over from the two previous unsuccessful missions. Phoenix is designed to study the history of water and search for complex organic molecules by digging a small hole in the ice-rich soil of the Martian arctic.
Although Mars has no known liquid water it does have large ice polar regions. Mars has evidence of past water flowing on it surface seen form Mars Global Surveyor, Odyssey, and Exploration Rover missions. Using lessons learned and implementing an extensive testing program.
Scientists and engineers are confident that Phoenix will rise from the ashes revealing clues in the Martian arctic soils perhaps revealing the history of water and potential for biology. This particular mission is very important because it is one of the first probes to land on a polar region of Mars.
This image taken by the Mars Global Surveyor's in 1998 shows what appears to an ancient river bed carved by flowing water. Known as Nanedi Vallis :image JPL
Phoenix was built from parts left over from the two previous unsuccessful missions. Phoenix is designed to study the history of water and search for complex organic molecules by digging a small hole in the ice-rich soil of the Martian arctic.
Phoenix Mars Lander extended leg taken shortly after landing
Although Mars has no known liquid water it does have large ice polar regions. Mars has evidence of past water flowing on it surface seen form Mars Global Surveyor, Odyssey, and Exploration Rover missions. Using lessons learned and implementing an extensive testing program.
Phoenix Mars Lander showing a panarama view of the landing site
Scientists and engineers are confident that Phoenix will rise from the ashes revealing clues in the Martian arctic soils perhaps revealing the history of water and potential for biology. This particular mission is very important because it is one of the first probes to land on a polar region of Mars.
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