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Phoenix lander

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description Phoenix lander Overview

Phoenix was a NASA Mars lander, part of the agency's Scout program, that touched down on May 25, 2008, in the Martian arctic plains of Vastitas Borealis. Its mission was to study the history of water in the planet's polar region and assess habitability. Using its robotic arm, Phoenix dug trenches in the soil and confirmed the presence of water ice just below the surface, which sublimated when exposed. The lander operated for over five months before contact was lost as anticipated with the onset of Martian winter.

help Phoenix lander FAQ

Where exactly did NASA's Phoenix lander touch down?

Phoenix landed in the Martian northern plains at about 68 degrees north latitude on May 25, 2008. Its site was in a region informally called Green Valley within Vastitas Borealis.

How did Phoenix prove that water ice was present?

Its robotic arm exposed bright chunks that disappeared over several Martian days, behavior consistent with ice sublimating into vapor. Phoenix later heated a soil sample in its TEGA instrument and directly detected water.

What else did Phoenix find besides water ice?

Phoenix detected perchlorate salts in the Martian soil and measured local weather and atmospheric conditions. Perchlorates are chemically important because they affect both potential habitability and future use of Martian resources.

Why did the Phoenix mission end?

Phoenix depended on solar power and was not designed to survive the dark northern winter. NASA received its final communication in November 2008 after more than five months of surface operations.

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