This artist's concept of the Phoenix lander shows the spacecraft during the final stages of its descent to the Martian surface on May 25, 2008. After parachutes slowed Phoenix during its plunge through the thin Martian air, retrorockets took over during the final stages of the landing. Click on image for full size (65 Kb) Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Calech/University of Arizona.

The Phoenix Mars Lander is a space mission sent by NASA to the North Polar Region of Mars. Phoenix is searching for and analyzing water ice that scientists believe exists just below the surface of Mars at high northern latitudes. Since water is crucial for the existence of life as we know it, this search for water ice has important implications for the possibility of life on Mars.

Phoenix was launched aboard a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida on August 4, 2007. After a 9-month cruise to the Red Planet, Phoenix landed on the northern plains of Mars near the polar ice cap on May 25, 2008. NASA hopes the lander will function for at least 90 sols (Martian days; just over 92 Earth days). The lander uses solar panels to generate electricity, so the onset of winter in the Martian northern hemisphere will eventually deprive the lander of sunlight, ending the mission.

Click here to learn about the instruments onboard the spacecraft and the objectives of the Phoenix mission.

The landing site on Mars is located at 233° East longitude by 68.35° North latitude, a comparable latitude to northern Alaska on Earth. Although diminishing winter sunlight will almost certainly "kill" the lander by preventing it from drawing power from its solar panels, mission scientists hope Phoenix will survive long enough to observe the buildup of ice in its surroundings as the Martian winter sets in. They believe that as much as one meter (3 feet) of dry ice could accumulate in the vicinity of Phoenix, possibly burying the lander under a thick blanket of frozen carbon dioxide!

This picture shows what an artist thinks Phoenix looked like as it landed on Mars. Phoenix first used parachutes to slow it down. Just before it reached the ground it turned on its retrorockets. Phoenix landed on May 25, 2008. Click on image for full size (65 Kb) Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Calech/University of Arizona.

The Phoenix Mars Lander is a spacecraft that NASA has sent to Mars. Phoenix landed near the North Pole of Mars. Scientists think there is water ice just below the surface in that area. If there is water ice there, it might give us clues about the possibility of life on Mars. Phoenix is searching for water ice. If it finds any ice, it will use its instruments to analyze it.

Phoenix blasted of from Florida in August 2007. The spacecraft spent 9 months on its cruise flight to Mars. Phoenix landed on the northern plains of Mars on May 25, 2008. If all goes well, the lander will keep working for at least 90 sols (Martian days; about 92 Earth days). Phoenix uses solar panels to make electricity to keep it running. After about 90 days it will start to be winter at the Martian North Pole, so there will be less and less daylight. As it gets darker, the solar panels will stop making electricity and Phoenix will run out of power and will stop working.

Click here to learn about the instruments on Phoenix and also about the purpose of the lander's mission.

Phoenix landed at 233° East longitude by 68° North latitude on Mars. That's about as far north on the Red Planet as northern Alaska is on Earth. Although lack of sunlight will cause the robot to stop working after a few months, NASA hopes it will last a little while into the Martian winter. If it does, it may be able to watch ice build up on the land around it as winter begins. Dry ice, which is ice made from frozen carbon dioxide instead of water, will form around Phoenix. The lander may get buried in as much as one meter (3 feet) of dry ice!

This picture shows what an artist thinks Phoenix looked like as it landed on Mars. Phoenix first used parachutes to slow it down. Just before it reached the ground it turned on its retrorockets. Phoenix landed on May 25, 2008. Click on image for full size (65 Kb) Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Calech/University of Arizona.

NASA sent a new spacecraft to Mars. It is called the Phoenix Mars Lander. Phoenix landed near the North Pole of Mars. Scientists think there is ice buried under the ground there. Life on Earth needs water. If there is (or ever was) life on Mars, maybe it needs water too. If Phoenix can find water ice on Mars, it might help us know whether there was ever life on Mars. If the robot finds ice, it will use its instruments to "taste" and "smell" it to figure out what kinds of chemicals are mixed in with the ice.

Phoenix blasted of from Florida in August 2007. It took 9 months to get to Mars. Phoenix landed on the northern plains of Mars on May 25, 2008. The lander is supposed to keep working for at least 90 sols (Martian days; about 92 Earth days).

Phoenix uses solar panels to make electricity. That electricity powers the robot. After about 90 days it will start to be winter at the Martian North Pole. Just like on Earth, in the winter the days are shorter and there is less sunlight. As it gets darker, the solar panels will stop making electricity. Phoenix will run out of power and will stop working.

Click here to learn about the instruments on Phoenix and also about the lander's mission.

Phoenix is landed at 68° North latitude on Mars. If that was on Earth, it would be in northern Alaska. NASA hopes Phoenix will last a little while into the Martian winter before it stops working. If it does, it may be able to watch ice build up on the land around it as winter begins. Dry ice will form around Phoenix. Dry ice is made from frozen carbon dioxide instead of water. The lander may get buried in one meter (3 feet) of dry ice!