(Phoenix Mars Lander) Safe Mars landing confirmed; cheers erupt at UA

[brooklynite]

Source: Arizona Daily Star

Confirmation came moments ago that the UA-led Phoenix Mars Mission touched down on the red planet, prompting a rush of happiness and relief among the scientists and engineers who have spent years working on the project.

Phoenix, launched in September, travelled 422 million miles before overcoming a complex final stage that saw it launch a parachute, free fall and, finally, ignite small jets to softly land in Mars’ northern arctic region.

The mission, led by the University of Arizona, will analyze the ice beneath Mars’ rusty surface to determine whether the planet ever had a climate suitable for life.

After flying through space for several months, the lander sped through Mars’ atmosphere at speeds up to 12,500 mph before touching down.

Read more: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/240694.php

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Live coverage on NASA TV

Live Blog

[enlightenment]

1. A lovely moment!

Now the waiting begins . . . :)

[Seabiscuit]

2. Beautiful!

My son (3 yo) and I just witnessed history being made and we cheered along with the scientists. Great moment to witness. :-)

[Plucketeer]

3. One of the last bastions of American pride and accomplisment!

Isn't it fascinating that we can gently set something the size of a compact car onto a specific target on a distant planet! Isn't it discouraging that we can only squeeze 30MPG from a gallon of gasoline here on earth?

[ohio2007]

9. There is a heavy European interest in the project

From what I've been listening to;
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22886841#22886841
Germans have been a major player in putting it together as well as European universities. Canada can also claim bragging rights.

[Gamey]

4. A link to live action

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

[gblady]

5. that was

so fun to watch.....got goosebumps when it landed....

took me back to much earlier space days...

like Kennedy's speech about putting a man on the moon....

seemed impossible at the time...

[Shoelace]

16. we watched it too along with Nat'l Geo's Mars show

geez, it was totally exciting. So many things could have gone wrong but those scientists did a great job and deserve to be elated and completely beyond excited. Wow! The pics are good too but I want to see the raw images. Those are the ones that they don't release to the public. They are floating around somewhere on the internet in NASA/JPL's domain.

[ben_meyers]

6. That was fun.

[Up2Late]

7. Here's another News link

<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080525-phoenix-mars.html>

First pictures coming in now Live on NASA TV

[Ian David]

8. NASA: "Martian Groundhogs" curiously inspect Phoenix Lander

Sorry, I'm really drunk.

I was watching "Recount" on HBO and kinda over did it.

[postulater]

12. I tried watching Recount

but got so dizzy with the incessantly moving camera that I felt I was drunk.

Too bad they wrecked the movie for me by such a goofy production stunt.

[Ian David]

10. Images from The Phoenix Lander

[Shoelace]

18. LOL! Mars sends you a valentine

and I'm not kidding!! This is an actual feature on Mars -




http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/HotTopics/index.php?/archives/116-Martian-Valentine-From-Mars-with-Love.html

[Ian David]

23. Or this...

[ohio2007]

11. Mars replies "bring it on "

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyWReM986gw


One of the first images from the Phoenix Mars Lander shows the surface of Mars after the Phoenix Mars Lander spacecraft landed successfully in the first-ever touchdown near Mars' north pole at the mission control room of the Jet Propulsion lab in Pasadena, California May 25,
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Top-Stories-Photos/ss/705;_ylt=AkHjbqlidVIRBE7ojTyOPzMKO7gF#photoViewer=/080526/480/95be301e7b344800af3bf66c611ba319

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=696mBA393Tg&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw7G4MIr5sE&feature=related



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsxP80bA54g&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL9k2gaZgkw&feature=related

[brooklynite]

13. Images being received from Mars (really...)

http://fawkes1.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=0&cID=7

[Phoonzang]

14. Bonzai!!!

I'm glad it made it. Hopefully they'll find life this time. I know they probably won't but one can hope. Time for us to wake up...

[FightingIrish]

15. In several of the images there is a white vertical object

off in the distance to th eright of the frame. It doesn't look like anything else in the terrain. Has anyone heard a discussion of what it might be?

[go west young man]

17. Nasa Phoenix website photo link:

http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=0&cID=8 There does appear to be a strange white verticle object in the distance in two of the pictures. It'll be interesting to see what Nasa says it is.

[go west young man]

19. Something a little weird happening as I just checked the Phoenix

photo upload link I listed above and one of the photos showing a white object has been removed at this time. The other is still there at this time. I have saved both photos saved to my laptop and when magnified they definently show a white verticle object in the near distance. Somethings amiss as now one photo has been removed form their site.

[Shoelace]

20. I see what you are talking about, there's a vertical "something"

in this picture and if you click on the "large" image, you really see it clearly. These websites are really busy right now and even with cable, the other website was getting locked up.



http://fawkes4.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=440&cID=8

[go west young man]

21. More info for the interested.

Just checked the blog at Wired magazine. Link here: http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/05/phoenix-sends-f.html?cid=116375614 They are discussing the object there. Someone says it's where the photo mosaic overlaps as it's actually a four image shot. To my eyes the object appears to be actually in the picture. Here's a link to a large blowup composite so people can judge for themselves.

[balantz]

22. That's pretty cool!

I wonder what that could be?

[sgsmith]

24. simple explanation

Is that it's most likely the backshell to the lander. Maybe it impacted the ground vertically and stuck in that position. Alternately, it could have crumpled on impact and that's the resulting shape. Man made.

[ohio2007]

26. What color was the parachute?

out of curiosity

[ohio2007]

27. Camera On Mars Orbiter Snaps Phoenix During Landing

May 26, 2008 -- A telescopic camera in orbit around Mars caught a view of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suspended from its parachute during the lander's successful arrival at Mars Sunday evening, May 25.



The image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter marks the first time ever one spacecraft has photographed another one in the act of landing on Mars.


http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/05_26_pr.php

[ohio2007]

25. could be the heat sheild also or

Elvis

or martian ski patrol