Temperature Measurements Taken by Phoenix Spacecraft

09.29.08

This chart plots the minimum daily atmospheric temperature measured by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander spacecraft since landing on Mars. As the temperature increased through the summer season, the atmospheric humidity also increased. Clouds, ground fog, and frost were observed each night after the temperature started dropping.

Image
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Canadian Space Agency

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Mars Particle and Terrestrial Soil, Compared Microscopically

09.29.08

The image on the left is a particle of Martian soil observed with the atomic force microscope on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. For comparison, the image on the right is a type of terrestrial material viewed with a scanning electron microscope.

The Mars image covers an area approximately 10 microns wide. The smooth-surfaced, platy particle is consistent with the appearance of phyllosilicate soil. The Martian particle resembles the soil on the left and right perimeter of the terrestrial image.

The terrestrial image shows smectite microboxwork separated from denticulated pyroxene by large pore space. The particles are in a soil sample of saprolitized clinopyroxene from Koua Bocca, Ivory Coast, West Africa. This image's field of view is approximately 23 microns wide.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Mars image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/University of Neuchatel/Imperial College London

Earth image credit: Photo courtesy of Michael Velbel (Michigan State University) and William Barker, (University of Wisconsin-Madison). From the image database of the Clay Minerals Society and the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland at http://www.minersoc.org/pages/gallery/claypix/index.html.

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Surface Stereo Imager on Mars, Side View

10.01.08

This image is a view of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Surface Stereo Imager (SSI) as seen by the lander's Robotic Arm Camera. This image was taken on the afternoon of the 116th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (September 22, 2008). The mast-mounted SSI, which provided the images used in the 360 degree panoramic view of Phoenix's landing site, is about 4 inches tall and 8 inches long.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Max Planck Institute.

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Surface Stereo Imager on Mars, Face-On

10.01.08

This image is a view of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Surface Stereo Imager (SSI) as seen by the lander's Robotic Arm Camera. This image was taken on the afternoon of the 116th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (September 22, 2008). The mast-mounted SSI, which provided the images used in the 360 degree panoramic view of Phoenix's landing site, is about 4 inches tall and 8 inches long. The two "eyes" of the SSI seen in this image can take photos to create three-dimensional views of the landing site.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Max Planck Institute

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Robotic Arm Camera on Mars with Lights On

10.02.08

This image is a composite view of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Robotic Arm Camera (RAC) with its lights on, as seen by the lander's Surface Stereo Imager (SSI). This image combines images taken on the afternoon of Phoenix's 116th Martian day, or sol (September 22, 2008). The RAC is about 8 centimeters (3 inches) tall.

The SSI took images of the RAC to test both the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and cover function. Individual images were taken in three SSI filters that correspond to the red, green, and blue LEDs one at a time. When combined, it appears that all three sets of LEDs are on at the same time. This composite image is not true color. The streaks of color extending from the LEDs are an artifact from saturated exposure.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Robotic Arm Camera on Mars with Lights Off

10.02.08

This approximate color image is a view of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Robotic Arm Camera (RAC) as seen by the lander's Surface Stereo Imager (SSI). This image was taken on the afternoon of the 116th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (September 22, 2008). The RAC is about 8 centimeters (3 inches) tall.

The SSI took images of the RAC to test both the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and cover function. Individual images were taken in three SSI filters that correspond to the red, green, and blue LEDs one at a time. This yields proper coloring when imaging Phoenix's surrounding Martian environment.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Lander Digs and Analyzes Soil as Darkness Gathers
PASADENA, Calif. -- As fall approaches Mars' northern plains, NASA's Phoenix Lander is busy digging into the Red Planet's soil and scooping it into its onboard science laboratories for analysis.

Over the past two weeks, Phoenix's nearly 2.4-meter-long (8 feet) arm moved a rock, nicknamed "Headless," about 0.4 meters (16 inches), and snapped an image of the rock with its camera. Then, the robotic arm scraped the soil underneath the rock and delivered a few teaspoonfuls of soil onto the lander's optical and atomic-force microscopes. These microscopes are part of Phoenix's Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA).


The image shows color variations of the trench,
informally named "La Mancha," and reveals the
ice layer beneath the soil surface.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of
Arizona/Texas A&M University.

Scientists are conducting preliminary analysis of this soil, nicknamed "Galloping Hessian." The soil piqued their interest because it may contain a high concentration of salts, said Diana Blaney, a scientist on the Phoenix mission with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

As water evaporates in arctic and arid environments on Earth, it leaves behind salt, which can be found under or around rocks, Blaney said. "That's why we wanted to look under ‘Headless,' to see if there's a higher concentration of salts there."

More digging is underway. Phoenix scientists want to analyze a hard, icy layer beneath the Martian soil surface, and excavating to that icy layer underneath a rock might give scientists clues about processes affecting the ice.

So the robotic arm has dug into a trench called "La Mancha," in part to see how deep the Martian ice table is. The Phoenix team also plans to dig a trench laterally across some of the existing trenches in hopes of revealing a cross section, or profile, of the soil's icy layer.

"We'd like to see how the ice table varies around the workspace with the different topography and varying surface characteristics such as different rocks and soils," said Phoenix co-investigator Mike Mellon of the University of Colorado, Boulder. "We hope to learn more about how the ice depth is controlled by physical processes, and by looking at how the ice depth varies, we can pin down how it got there."

Over the weekend, on the 128th Martian day, or sol, Phoenix engineers successfully directed the robotic arm to dig in a trench called "Snow White" in the eastern portion of the lander's digging area. The robotic arm then delivered the material to an oven screen on Phoenix's Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer.

The Phoenix team will try to shake the oven screen so the soil can break into smaller lumps and fall through for analysis.

The Phoenix lander, originally planned for a three-month mission on Mars, is now in its fifth month. As fall approaches, the lander's weather instruments detect diffuse clouds above northern Mars, and temperatures are getting colder as the daylight hours wane.

Consequently, Phoenix faces an increasing drop in solar energy as the sun falls below the Martian horizon. Mission engineers and scientists expect this power decline to curtail activities in the coming weeks. As darkness deepens, Phoenix will primarily become a weather station and will likely cease all activity by the end of the year.

The Phoenix mission is led by Principal Investigator Peter Smith at the University of Arizona. Project management is the responsibility of JPL, with development partnership by Lockheed Martin in Denver. International contributions come from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark; the Max Planck Institute, Germany; and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

More information about Phoenix is at: http://www.nasa.gov/phoenix.

Media contacts: Guy Webster 818-364-6278, guy.webster@jpl.nasa.gov
Rhea Borja 818-354-0850, rhea.r.borja@jpl.nasa.gov
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726, Dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov
NASA Headquarters, Washington

Source: NASA - Phoenix - News

Phoenix's La Manch Trench

10.08.08

This false color image, taken by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Surface Stereo Imager, was taken on the 131st Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008). The image shows color variations of the trench, informally named "La Mancha," and reveals the ice layer beneath the soil surface. The trench's depth is about 5 centimeters deep.

The color outline of the shadow at the bottom of the image is a result of sun movement with the combined use of infrared, green, and blue filters.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Frost on Mars

10.08.08

This image shows bluish-white frost seen on the Martian surface near NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The image was taken by the lander's Surface Stereo Imager on the 131st Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008). Frost is expected to continue to appear in images as fall, then winter approach Mars' northern plains.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Soil on Phoenix's MECA

10.08.08

This image shows soil delivery to NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA). The image was taken by the lander's Surface Stereo Imager on the 131st Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008).

At the bottom of the image is the chute for delivering samples to MECA's microscopes. It is relatively clean due to the Phoenix team using methods such as sprinkling to minimize cross-contamination of samples. However, the cumulative effect of several sample deliveries can be seen in the soil piles on either side of the chute.

On the right side are the four chemistry cells with soil residue piled up on exposed surfaces. The farthest cell has a large pile of material from an area of the Phoenix workspace called "Stone Soup." This area is deep in the trough at a polygon boundary, and its soil was so sticky it wouldn't even go through the funnel.

One of Phoenix's solar panels is shown in the background of this image.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Soil on Phoenix's TEGA

10.08.08

This image shows soil on the doors of the Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA) onboard NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The image was taken by the lander's Robotic Arm Camera on the 131st Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008). This sample delivered to TEGA was named "Rosy Red."

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Max Planck Institute

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix's La Manch Trench in 3D

10.08.08

This anaglyph, taken by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Surface Stereo Imager, was taken on the 131st Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008). The anaglyph highlights the depth of the trench, informally named "La Mancha," and reveals the ice layer beneath the soil surface. The trench's depth is about 5 centimeters deep.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Thanks waspie,good info ,keep it comeing. Do you ever look at the pics closely from the ISS like the DUNEs from africa you posted.Looks like earth will soon follow Mars example.

Phoenix Trenches, Left Eye

10.10.08

Here is a panoramic view of various trenches dug by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The images that make up this panorama were taken by Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager at about 4 p.m., local solar time at the landing site, on the 131st, Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008). This view is the left-eye member of a stereo pair.

For scale, the "Pet Donkey" trench just to the right of center is approximately 38 centimeters (15 inches) long and 31 to 34 centimeters (12 to 13 inches) wide. In addition, the rock in front of it, "Headless," is about 11.5 by 8.5 centimeters (4.5 by 3.3 inches), and about 5 centimeters (2 inches) tall.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Trenches, Right Eye

10.10.08

Here is a panoramic view of various trenches dug by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The images that make up this panorama were taken by Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager at about 4 p.m., local solar time at the landing site, on the 131st, Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008). This view is the right-eye member of a stereo pair.

For scale, the "Pet Donkey" trench just to the right of center is approximately 38 centimeters (15 inches) long and 31 to 34 centimeters (12 to 13 inches) wide. In addition, the rock in front of it, "Headless," is about 11.5 by 8.5 centimeters (4.5 by 3.3 inches), and about 5 centimeters (2 inches) tall.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Trenches, Stereo

10.10.08

Here is a stereo, panoramic view of various trenches dug by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The images that make up this panorama were taken by Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager at about 4 p.m., local solar time at the landing site, on the 131st, Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008).

For scale, the "Pet Donkey" trench just to the right of center is approximately 38 centimeters (15 inches) long and 31 to 34 centimeters (12 to 13 inches) wide. In addition, the rock in front of it, "Headless," is about 11.5 by 8.5 centimeters (4.5 by 3.3 inches), and about 5 centimeters (2 inches) tall.

This image appears three-dimensional when viewed through blue-red glasses.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Trenches, Labeled

10.10.08

Here is a panoramic view of various trenches dug by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The images that make up this panorama were taken by Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager at about 4 p.m., local solar time at the landing site, on the 131st, Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008).

The trenches are labeled in orange and other features are labeled in blue.

For scale, the "Pet Donkey" trench just to the right of center is approximately 38 centimeters (15 inches) long and 31 to 34 centimeters (12 to 13 inches) wide. In addition, the rock in front of it, "Headless," is about 11.5 by 8.5 centimeters (4.5 by 3.3 inches), and about 5 centimeters (2 inches) tall.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

How much longer will the little guy stay running Waspie?

i seen a picture on the BBC's sky at night of phoenix in the early morning and there was a thick frost on the ground surrounding the lander. just going off the picture time is well and truly running out. The presenter said they've already started cutting back on experiments to save power because they don't have enough to keep everything going. I think it was the weather device they've shut of and are now relying on some sort of pendulum for the weather, i dunno something like that. Am sure waspie or MID know the score.

Thanks Stevewinn It was a valiant Effort by all! What a world Mars is ! Love to go there and hop around!

The problem for Phoenix is that the sun is above the horizon less and less, and not raising so far during the shortening days. Phoenix will not have enough power to maintain its heating and will freeze.


My understanding was that this is what they will be doing and that they have not started yet.


In fact it is the other way around. Once the soil analysis is completed all the experiments will be turned off except for the weather monitoring. The pendulum you refer to is called the "tell tale". It is affected by the wind, photographing it as it moves gives an indication of wind strength and direction. I have posted several animations showing this device, and stay tuned because I will be posting another soon.

I wonder is in the New summer theres enough heat and light to re-start the mission? Wouldnt that be a great thing to see?

NASA will try, but the extreme cold is likely to have rendered Phoenix totally unusable.

Phoenix Weathers Dust Storm
The Phoenix Lander over the weekend successfully weathered a regional dust storm that temporarily lowered its solar power, and the team is back investigating the Red Planet's northern plains.

The increasing opacity in the atmosphere from the storm decreased the power reaching the Phoenix's solar arrays. So on Martian days, or sols, 135-136 of the mission (Oct. 11-12), Phoenix scientists and engineers curtailed many of the lander's science activities, such as collecting some data from its onboard science laboratories.


Captured in this image from Mars Reconnaissance
Orbiter is a 37,000 square-kilometer (almost
14,300 miles) dust storm that moved counter-
clockwise through the Phoenix landing site on
Oct 11, 2008.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space
Science Systems

The 37,000 square-kilometer storm (almost 14,300 square miles) moved west to east, and weakened considerably by the time it reached the lander on Saturday, Oct. 11. This tamer storm put the spacecraft in a better than expected situation, said Ray Arvidson of Washington University in St. Louis, the lead scientist for Phoenix's Robotic Arm.

Now the lander is busy meting out its power to analyze soil samples, collect atmospheric data, and conduct other activities before fall and winter stop Phoenix cold.

"Energy is becoming an issue, so we have to carefully budget our activities," Arvidson said.

The Phoenix team tracked the dust storm last week through images gleaned from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Mars Color Imager. The imager's team estimated that after the dust storm passed through Phoenix's landing site on Saturday, the dust would gradually decrease this week.

This dust storm is a harbinger of more wintry and volatile weather to come. As Martian late summer turns into fall, the Phoenix team anticipates more dust storms, frost in trenches, and water-ice clouds. They look forward to collecting data and documenting this "most interesting season," Arvidson said.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

2008-194

Source: NASA - Phoenix - News

Late-summer Martian Dust Storm

10.14.08

This is an image of Mars taken from orbit by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Mars Color Imager (MARCI). The Red Planet's polar ice-cap is in the middle of the image. Captured in this image is a 37,000 square-kilometer (almost 14,300 square miles) dust storm that moved counter-clockwise through the Phoenix landing site on Oct 11, 2008, or Sol 135 of the mission. Viewing this image as if it were the face of a clock, Phoenix is a shown as a small white dot, located at about 10 AM. The storm, which had already passed over the landing site earlier in the day, is located at about 9:30 AM.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Mars Mission Honored by Popular Mechanics
NASA's Phoenix Mars Mission is being honored with a Breakthrough Award by Popular Mechanics magazine today in New York City. In its fourth year, the awards recognize innovators who improve lives and expand possibilities in science, technology, engineering and exploration.

Three members of the Phoenix team were recognized for leading the successful mission to Mars: Barry Goldstein, the Phoenix project manager from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Peter Smith, the principal investigator from the University of Arizona, Tuscon; and Ed Sedivy, the Phoenix program manager at Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver.


Phoenix spacecraft on Mars.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of
Arizona/Texas A&M University.

Now in the final weeks of an extended mission, the Phoenix lander has been studying the Martian arctic for evidence of past liquid water, and habitability, and studying the current climate and atmosphere since landing on the Red Planet on May 25. Robotic laboratory instruments have "sniffed and tasted" the Martian soil and ice to analyze their chemical and mineral properties. More than 25,000 images from the surface of Mars have been returned by the lander's camera systems.

A complete report on the Breakthrough Awards, and a full list of the nine winners are available in the November 2008 issue of Popular Mechanics and online at www.popularmechanics.com/breakthrough08.

The Phoenix mission is led by Smith, with project management at JPL and development partnership at Lockheed Martin. International contributions come from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark; Max Planck Institute, Germany; and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

Source: NASA - Phoenix - News

Dust Devil Moving Near Phoenix Lander

10.15.08

This series of images show the movement of several dust devils near NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. These images were taken by the lander's Surface Stereo Imager (SSI) on the 137th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 13, 2008).

These images were taken about 50 seconds apart, showing the formation and movement of dust devils for nearly an hour. Phoenix scientists are still figuring out the exact distances these dust devils occurred from the lander, but they estimate them to be about 1 to 2 kilometers (.6 or 1.2 miles) away.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Telltale Instrument Waving in the Martian Wind

10.15.08

This series of images show Phoenix's telltale instrument waving in the Martian wind. Documenting the telltale's movement helps mission scientists and engineers determine what the wind is like on Mars.

On the day these images were taken, one of the images seemed to be "out-of-phase" with other images, possibly indicating a dust devil occurrence. Preliminary analysis of the images taken right before and after the passing of this possible dust devil indicates winds from the west at 7 meters per second. The image taken during the possible dust devil shows 11 meters per second wind from the south.

These images were taken by the lander's Surface Stereo Imager (SSI) on the 136th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 12, 2008). Phoenix's telltale is part of the Canadian Space Agency's meteorological package on the lander. The telltale was built by the University of Aarhus, Denmark.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Gets Bonus Soil Sample
The Mars Phoenix Lander's robotic arm successfully delivered soil into oven six of the lander's thermal and evolved-gas analyzer (TEGA) on Monday, Oct. 13, or Martian day (sol) 137 of the mission.

The delivery to oven six is a "bonus round" for Phoenix, as the mission goal requirement of filling and analyzing soil in at least three of the ovens has already been satisfied. Six of eight ovens have been used to date.


This image shows four of the eight cells in the
Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer, or TEGA,
on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of
Arizona/Max Planck Institute

TEGA's tiny ovens heat the soil to as high as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius). The lab's "nose," or mass spectrometer, then "smells" and analyzes the gases derived from heating the soil. Mission scientists will continue to research and analyze the soil samples in the coming months, long after Phoenix stops operating on the surface.

Now in Martian late-summer, Phoenix is gradually getting less power as the sun drops below the horizon.

"My entire team is working very hard to make use of the power we have before it disappears," said William Boynton of the University of Arizona, Tucson, the lead scientist for TEGA. "Every time we fill an oven, we potentially learn more about Mars' geochemistry."

NASA's Phoenix mission is led by Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, with project management at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., and development partnership at Lockheed Martin, Denver. International contributions come from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark; the Max Planck Institute, Germany; and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

2008-195

Source: NASA - Phoenix - News

Soil Fills Phoenix Laboratory Cell

10.17.08

This image shows four of the eight cells in the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer, or TEGA, on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. TEGA's ovens, located underneath the cells, heat soil samples so the released gases can be analyzed.

Left to right, the cells are numbered 7, 6, 5 and 4. Phoenix's Robotic Arm delivered soil most recently to cell 6 on the 137th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 13, 2008).

Phoenix's Robotic Arm Camera took this image at 3:03 p.m. local solar time on Sol 138 (Oct. 14, 2008).

Phoenix landed on Mars' northern plains on May 25, 2008.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Max Planck Institute

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Lander Finishes Soil Delivery to Onboard Labs
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has finished scooping soil samples to deliver to its onboard laboratories, and is now preparing to analyze samples already obtained. Scientists are anxious to analyze the samples as the power Phoenix generates continues to drop. The amount of sunlight is waning on Mars' northern plains as late-summer turns to fall.

The spacecraft's robotic arm is digging into the lower portion of the "Upper Cupboard" and "Stone Soup" areas of the Phoenix worksite. Its Surface Stereoscopic Imager is taking photos of this trenching so scientists can better map out the geology of the Red Planet's ice table.


This image shows Martian soil piled on top of
the spacecraft's deck and some of its instruments.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of
Arizona/Max Planck Institute

"We're basically trying to understand the depth and extent of the ice table to tie together how geology and climate control its formation," said Phoenix mission scientist Diana Blaney of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Later this week, Phoenix engineers and scientists will use the robotic arm to attempt to push a soil sample piled in a funnel on top of the lander's Wet Chemistry Laboratory into a cell for analysis. They will take images of soil captured in its Optical Microscope, as well as take digital-elevation models of a rock called "Sandman" with Phoenix's Robotic Arm Camera.

Phoenix has operated nearly five months on Mars since landing on May 25, 2008.

NASA's Phoenix mission is led by Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson, with project management at JPL, and development partnership at Lockheed Martin, Denver. International contributions come from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark; the Max Planck Institute, Germany; and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

Media contacts: Rhea Borja 818-354-0850
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Rhea.R.Borja@jpl.nasa.gov 2008-196

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov
2008-196

Source: NASA - Phoenix - News

Soil on Phoenix Deck

10.21.08

This image, taken by the Surface Stereo Imager (SSI) of NASA's Phoenix Lander, shows Martian soil piled on top of the spacecraft's deck and some of its instruments. Visible in the upper-left portion of the image are several wet chemistry cells of the lander's Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA). The instrument on the lower right of the image is the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer. The excess sample delivered to the MECA’s sample stage can be seen on the deck in the lower left portion of the image.

This image was taken on Martian day, or sol, 142, on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2008. Phoenix landed on Mars' northern plains on May 25, 2008.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Max Planck Institute

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

what was the results from these other samples. if we go two samples back to the one after the sample which cast doubt on the "garden soil" sample what was their results?

I'm not sure many of the results have been released yet. This sort of analysis gives lots of data which need a lot of interpretation. I suspect it will be many months before detailed results are available.

Early results were released against the wishes of the scientists because of rumours and conspiracy theories about what had been found. Scientists are a conservative lot, they like to check and double check their results before releasing them, if they don't someone else will.

okay, thanks waspie.

NASA's Phoenix Mission Faces Survival Challenges
PASADENA, Calif. – In a race against time and the elements, engineers with NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander mission hope to extend the lander's survival by gradually shutting down some of its instruments and heaters, starting today.

Originally scheduled to last 90 days, Phoenix has completed a fifth month of exploration in the Martian arctic. As expected, with the Martian northern hemisphere shifting from summer to fall, the lander is generating less power due to shorter days and fewer hours of sunlight reaching its solar panels. At the same time, the spacecraft requires more power to run several survival heaters that allow it to operate even as temperatures decline.


Phoenix spacecraft on Mars.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of
Arizona/Texas A&M University.

"If we did nothing, it wouldn't be long before the power needed to operate the spacecraft would exceed the amount of power it generates on a daily basis," said Phoenix Project Manager Barry Goldstein of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "By turning off some heaters and instruments, we can extend the life of the lander by several weeks and still conduct some science."

Over the next several weeks, four survival heaters will be shut down, one at a time, in an effort to conserve power. The heaters serve the purpose of keeping the electronics within tested survivable limits. As each heater is disabled, some of the instruments are also expected to cease operations. The energy saved is intended to power the lander's main camera and meteorological instruments until the very end of the mission.

Later today, engineers will send commands to disable the first heater. That heater warms Phoenix's robotic arm, robotic-arm camera, and thermal and evolved-gas analyzer (TEGA), an instrument that bakes and sniffs Martian soil to assess volatile ingredients. Shutting down this heater is expected to save 250 watt-hours of power per Martian day.

The Phoenix team has parked the robotic arm on a representative patch of Martian soil. No additional soil samples will be gathered. The thermal and electrical-conductivity probe (TECP), located on the wrist of the arm, has been inserted into the soil and will continue to measure soil temperature and conductivity, along with atmospheric humidity near the surface. The probe does not need a heater to operate and should continue to send back data for weeks.

Throughout the mission, the lander's robotic arm successfully dug and scraped Martian soil and delivered it to the onboard laboratories. "We turn off this workhorse with the knowledge that it has far exceeded expectations and conducted every operation asked of it," said Ray Arvidson, the robotic arm's co-investigator, and a professor at Washington University, St. Louis.

When power levels necessitate further action, Phoenix engineers will disable a second heater, which serves the lander's pyrotechnic initiation unit. The unit hasn't been used since landing, and disabling its heater is expected to add four to five days to the mission's lifetime. Following that step, engineers would disable a third heater, which warms Phoenix's main camera -- the Surface Stereo Imager –and the meteorological suite of instruments. Electronics that operate the meteorological instruments should generate enough heat on their own to keep most of those instruments and the camera functioning.

In the final step, Phoenix engineers may turn off a fourth heater -- one of two survival heaters that warm the spacecraft and its batteries. This would leave one remaining survival heater to run out on its own.

"At that point, Phoenix will be at the mercy of Mars," said Chris Lewicki of JPL, lead mission manger.

Engineers are also preparing for solar conjunction, when the sun is directly between Earth and Mars. Between Nov. 28 and Dec. 13, Mars and the sun will be within two degrees of each other as seen from Earth, blocking radio transmission between the spacecraft and Earth. During that time, no commands will be sent to Phoenix, but daily downlinks from Phoenix will continue through NASA's Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance orbiters. At this time, controllers can't predict whether the fourth heater would be disabled before or after conjunction.

The Phoenix mission is led by Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson, with project management at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and development partnership at Lockheed Martin, Denver. International contributions come from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark; the Max Planck Institute in Germany; and the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA.

Media contacts: Rhea Borja/Veronica McGregor 818-354-0850/354-9452
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Rhea.R.Borja@jpl.nasa.gov
Veronica.mcgregor@jpl.nasa.gov

2008-199

Source: NASA - Phoenix - News

Phoenix Deepens Trenches on Mars

10.28.08

The Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took this false color image on Oct. 21, 2008, during the 145th Martian day, or sol, since landing. The white areas seen in these trenches are part of an ice layer beneath the soil.

The trench on the upper left, called "Upper Cupboard," is about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench in the middle, called "Ice Man," is about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench on the right, called "La Mancha," is about 31 centimeters (12 inches) and 5 centimeters (2 inches) deep.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image NASA/JPL-Caltech//University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Deepens Trenches on Mars

10.28.08

The Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took this false color image on Oct. 21, 2008, during the 145th Martian day, or sol, since landing. The bluish-white areas seen in these trenches are part of an ice layer beneath the soil.

The trench on the upper left, called "Dodo-Goldilocks," is about 38 centimeters (15 inches) long and 4 centimeters (1.5 inches) deep.
The trench on the right, called "Upper Cupboard," is about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench in the lower middle is called "Stone Soup."

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image NASA/JPL-Caltech//University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Underneath the Phoenix Lander

10.28.08

The Robotic Arm Camera on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took this image on Oct. 18, 2008, during the 142nd Martian day, or sol, since landing. The flat patch in the center of the image has the informal name "Holy Cow," based on researchers' reaction when they saw the initial image of it only a few days after the May 25, 2008 landing. Researchers first saw this flat patch in an image taken by the Robotic Arm Camera on May 30, the fifth Martian day of the mission.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image NASA/JPL-Caltech//University of Arizona/Max Planck Institute

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix's Probe Inserted in Martian Soil

10.28.08

The Phoenix Mars lander's robotic-arm camera took this image of the spacecraft's thermal and electrical-conductivity probe (TECP) inserted into Martian soil on day 149 of the mission. Phoenix landed on Mars' northern plains on May 25, 2008, landing.

The robotic-arm camera acquired this image at 16:02:41 local solar time. The camera pointing was elevation -72.6986 degrees and azimuth 2.1093 degrees.

The Phoenix mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Max Planck Institute

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Deepens Trenches on Mars (3D)

10.28.08

The Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took this anaglyph on Oct. 21, 2008, during the 145th Martian day, or sol. Phoenix landed on Mars' northern plains on May 25, 2008.

The trench on the upper left, called "Dodo-Goldilocks," is about 38 centimeters (15 inches) long and 4 centimeters (1.5 inches) deep. The trench on the right, called "Upper Cupboard," is about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench in the lower middle is called "Stone Soup."

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image NASA/JPL-Caltech//University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Deepens Trenches on Mars (3D)

10.28.08

The Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took this anaglyph on Oct. 21, 2008, during the 145th Martian day, or sol. Phoenix landed on Mars' northern plains on May 25, 2008.

The trench on the upper left, called "Upper Cupboard," is about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench in the middle,called "Ice Man," is about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench on the right, called "La Mancha," is about 31 centimeters (12 inches) and 5 centimeters (2 inches) deep.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Image NASA/JPL-Caltech//University of Arizona/Texas A&M University

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Source: NASA - Phoenix - Images

Phoenix Mission Status Report
PASADENA, Calif. - NASA'S Phoenix Mars Lander entered safe mode late yesterday in response to a low-power fault brought on by deteriorating weather conditions. While engineers anticipated that a fault could occur due to the diminishing power supply, the lander also unexpectedly switched to the "B" side of its redundant electronics and shut down one of its two batteries.

During safe mode, the lander stops non-critical activities and awaits further instructions from the mission team. Within hours of receiving information of the safing event, mission engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., and at Lockheed Martin in Denver, were able to send commands to restart battery charging. It is not likely that any energy was lost.


Artist's concept of Phoenix on Mars.

Weather conditions at the landing site in the north polar region of Mars have deteriorated in recent days, with overnight temperatures falling to -141F (-96C), and daytime temperatures only as high as -50F (-45C), the lowest temperatures experienced so far in the mission. A mild dust storm blowing through the area, along with water-ice clouds, further complicated the situation by reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the lander's solar arrays, thereby reducing the amount of power it could generate. Low temperatures caused the lander's battery heaters to turn on Tuesday for the first time, creating another drain on precious power supplies.

Science activities will remain on hold for the next several days to allow the spacecraft to recharge and conserve power. Attempts to resume normal operations will not take place before the weekend.

"This is a precarious time for Phoenix," said Phoenix Project Manager Barry Goldstein of JPL. "We're in the bonus round of the extended mission, and we're aware that the end could come at any time. The engineering team is doing all it can to keep the spacecraft alive and collecting science, but at this point survivability depends on some factors out of our control, such as the weather and temperatures on Mars."

The ability to communicate with the spacecraft has not been impacted. However, the team decided to cancel communication sessions Wednesday morning in order to conserve spacecraft power. The next communication pass is anticipated at 9:30 p.m. PDT Wednesday.

Yesterday, the mission announced plans to turn off four heaters, one at a time, in an effort to preserve power. The faults experienced late Tuesday prompted engineers to command the lander to shut down two heaters instead of one as originally planned. One of those heaters warmed electronics for Phoenix's robotic arm, robotic-arm camera, and thermal and evolved-gas analyzer (TEGA), an instrument that bakes and sniffs Martian soil to assess volatile ingredients. The second heater served the lander's pyrotechnic initiation unit, which hasn't been used since landing. By turning off selected heaters, the mission hopes to preserve power and prolong the use of the lander's camera and meteorological instruments.

Originally scheduled to last 90 days, Phoenix has completed a fifth month of exploration in the Martian arctic. As the Martian northern hemisphere shifts from summer to autumn, the lander was expected to generate less power due to fewer hours of sunlight reaching its solar panels. "It could be a matter of days, or weeks, before the daily power generated by Phoenix is less than needed to operate the spacecraft," said JPL mission manager Chris Lewicki. "We have only a few options left to reduce the energy usage."

The Phoenix mission is led by Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson, with project management at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and development partnership at Lockheed Martin, Denver. International contributions come from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark; the Max Planck Institute in Germany; and the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA.

Media contacts: Veronica McGregor 818-354-9452
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Veronica.mcgregor@jpl.nasa.gov

Source: NASA - Phoenix - News

Phoenix Mission Status Report
UPDATE at 4 p.m. PDT October 30:

Phoenix communicated with NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter Thursday. The communication reinforced a diagnosis that the spacecraft is in a precautionary mode triggered by low energy. Mission engineers are assessing the lander's condition and steps necessary for returning to science operations..


This view combines more than 400 images taken
during the first several weeks after NASA's Phoenix
Mars Lander arrived on an arctic plain at 68.22
degrees north latitude, 234.25 degrees east longitude
on Mars.

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA'S Phoenix Mars Lander, with its solar-electric power shrinking due to shorter daylight hours and a dust storm, did not respond to an orbiter's attempt to communicate with it Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Mission controllers judge the most likely situation to be that declining power has triggered a pre-set precautionary behavior of waking up for only about two hours per day to listen for an orbiter's hailing signal. If that is the case, the wake-sleep cycling would have begun at an unknown time when batteries became depleted.

"We will be coordinating with the orbiter teams to hail Phoenix as often as feasible to catch the time when it can respond," said Phoenix Project Manager Barry Goldstein at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "If we can reestablish communication, we can begin to get the spacecraft back in condition to resume science. In the best case, if weather cooperates, that would take the better part of a week."

The Phoenix lander has operated at a Martian arctic site for more than two months longer than its initially planned, three-month prime mission. The sun stayed above the horizon around the clock during the prime mission, but is now below the horizon for about 7 hours each night.

Engineers at JPL and at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, operate Phoenix and the two NASA orbiters used for relaying communications with the lander, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey.

The Phoenix mission is led by Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson, with project management at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and development partnership at Lockheed Martin, Denver. International contributions come from the Canadian Space Agency; the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland; the universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark; the Max Planck Institute in Germany; and the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA.

Media contacts: Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Guy.Webster@jpl.nasa.gov

2008-202

Source: NASA - Phoenix - News

It appears that we must say goodbye to Phoenix.


Kudos to the folks at JPL, to all who produced, launched, and landed this magnificent piece of spacecraft, and who managed a fantastically successful mission.

You people are the best.

No. au revoir, but never goodbye.

After all the experiments, it will be interesting to see what sort of results we get in the coming months. It must rank up there has one of NASA's greatest missions.

Neat pics.

Well We just need to build another little guy to go up there and just Fix it! I vote for a Pink craft with a pair of small floppy ears. Jump start that great little explorer. Good to See you Mid. the Old cars here in Texas are over flowing the shop!

Oh yea...you're absolutely right steve...

There are years of data to analyze from that magnificent piece of work.


She'll never be dead.

Take care our friend on Mars....there is sooooo much to be learned by your findings....I just hope the rovers survive and find more interesting things..
Mars was earthlike at one time.....