Chris Cantell Discusses Science: Well Done, Phoenix Mars! by Milota Sidorova

Immense joy and celebration taste like mood filled the sending coordinate NASA center just few minutes before Sunday's midnight. Space robot Phoenix had reached the Martian surface without any complications. The fact, that it was the first flawless landing in 32 years only increased the satisfaction of this $420 million investment. Although estimations buzzed somewhere around less than 50 percent of success, Phoenix landed on relatively stoneless and flat terrain. In less than two hours, after fading the dust layers, it turned on its solar panels and started sending first pictures.To general surprise, images were not that far from the expectations. Shoots depicted Martian surface as brick brown dusty surface with polygonal ice structures. In fact, not very aloof from the polar regions down here on Earth.Stunning images also showed the Sun, whose normally expected spheric shape, have created sharp sword like ray of light.Robotic module equipped almost 2,35 m long wiggling arm is supposed to dig almost 1 meter under thin layer of soil to uncover ice blocks all over the pole for the next three months. It should also propose several key hints to answer the question, whether life could have ever appeared on Red Planet. Since 2002, when scientists successfully detected the presence of water on Mars, where the average temperature reaches around 28 degrees under zero, this was the most discussed topic. However, successful landing had further consequences. It was the first time, when module sat down on its three legs. According researchers, this can be really serious information for future human mission.Phoenix is expected to join rover twins Spirit and Opportunity after the mission.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/phoenix_mars;_ylt=AvPn44zMhMpNlIjKvXbb2Dus0NUE

by Milota Sidorova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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