Phoenix Sends Back More Mars Images

(CBS/AP)  Fresh images sent back by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander from the Martian northern polar region showed most of its science instruments were in good shape, mission scientists said.

The one snag on the lander occurred when the protective sheath around the trench-digging robotic arm failed to unwrap all the way after touchdown and now covers the arm's elbow joint.

Deputy project scientist Deborah Bass of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said scientists still planned to move the arm Tuesday, but it could take an extra day to fully stretch it.

"I would say this is an inconvenience," Bass said Monday.

Since landing on Mars on Sunday, Phoenix has delighted scientists with the first-ever peek of the planet's unexplored northern latitudes. The terrain where Phoenix settled is relatively flat with polygon-shaped patterns in the ground likely caused by the expansion and contraction of underground ice.

Phoenix will dig into the soil using its 8-foot-long arm to reach the ice believed to be buried inches to a foot deep.

The lander will study whether the site could have supported primitive life. Among the things it will look for is whether the ice melted in Mars' history and whether the soil samples contain traces of organic compounds, one of the building blocks of life.

Phoenix landed on Mars after a 10-month, 422 million-mile journey. After a week checking out its science instruments, the lander will begin a 90-day digging mission to study whether the northern polar region possesses the raw ingredients needed for life to emerge.

"Life as we know it requires water and it requires organic compounds - the chemicals that make our cells work," says CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood. "Where the Phoenix is, they're pretty sure there's ice there under the surface. There may be organic compounds and if there are, then you really have an environment that could support life - either in the past or even in the present day."

(AP/NASA/Caltech/Univ. of Arizona)

On Monday, NASA released a black-and-white image captured during Phoenix's descent by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which had a bird's-eye view of the lander hanging from its parachute. It's the first time a spacecraft had taken an image of another craft during landing.

Alfred McEwen of the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory said the camera aboard Reconnaissance Orbiter has taken many unique pictures of Mars, but "this one's really unique."

"This will be on my Top 10 list," said McEwen, who operates the orbiter's camera. "

The $420 million Phoenix mission is led by University of Arizona, Tucson and managed by JPL. Unlike the twin rovers, which have been operating near the Martian equator since 2004, Phoenix has a limited lifetime. Winter will set in later this year at its landing site and likely will cover the lander with frost.

For more information visit NASA's Phoenix mission Web site, and the mission pages at the University of Arizona.

[rottenruss1]

Perhaps we can defund NASA and spend more money on Hollywood producing "Docudramas" that are Liberal interpretations of what ignorant people should believe? Please don''t revisit cheap Atomic power . . .Let''s spend money on hydrogen, since it is less efficient than oil.

[usbrit-2009]

Weather cycles - yes they occur naturally over thousands of years - not over 50-100. That''s the problem here. This general warming over the last few years is quicker than natural change would allow. Hence the theory that man is responsible. My personal jury is still out on the whole theory, but given the dire consequences of even a 10-20 foot rise in sea level, isn''t it worth taking notice of at least?

[usbrit-2009]

Oh yes, what happened to the terror over the ozone hole, we were all going to die from skin cancer because of it. Al''''s getting richer leading you around, hes laughing all the way to the bank.

Posted by btree50

We passed laws banning the fluorochemicals that were exacerbating the ozone hole - remember?? The hole is still there, but it''s under control. Industry said we wouldn''t have air conditioning or refrigeration without these materials. We don''t have CFC''s any more, seems like we do still have air conditioning. Amazing what a little incentive will do.

[btree50]

Were Mars'''' CO2 atmosphere to thicken, it would rapidly warm due to the greenhouse effect. This is how Mars could be "Terraformed" into a habitable planet.
Consider yourself a little more educated now, sir.

If. There are a lot of if''s in the universe. What you state is theory. If you Al gore puppies would look at the evolution of our world, you will see a tropical age, an ice age, etc. Its called weather cycles.
Oh yes, what happened to the terror over the ozone hole, we were all going to die from skin cancer because of it. Al''s getting richer leading you around, hes laughing all the way to the bank.

[hawksprings]

Isn''t Mars'' atmosphere over 95% CO2?
95 Freakin'' Percent CO2!!!!

The Earth''s atmosphere is not even 1/10th of 1 percent CO2 (That''s 0.038 CO2 on Earth compared to 95.0 CO2 for Mars)

So if CO2 is such a POWERFUL GLOBAL WARMING GAS, and if a TINY INCREASE will destroy us all, why isn''t Mars an OVEN then?

Will you Algore Guppies please answer that?

[cozzicon]

"Money would be better spent looking for alternative fuels and saving our own environment.
NASA is sucking up tax dollars while Americans are losing their jobs.
It should be abolished."-- Posted by fstop100

And so putting 70% of the scientific aerospace community out of work is an economic stimulus?

You might not like hearing it, but the dismantling of NASA would destroy this country. New technologies developed by other countries would be theirs and not ours. Private enterprise does not have the ability, nor the desire, to spend 500 million on a probe. They have the ability to *capitalize* on the information once it is acquired.

If you want the Chinese running the world- defund NASA.

[cockapoo2]

"Dig''n a hole.. is dat de way ya treat me. Dig''n a hole.."

[geneonlbk]

MARS - what no wheels? It just sits there. Is there someting interesting about looking at the same old piece of brown dirt each news cycle that is escaping me? This is going to be a yawn.

(M)ore (A)merican (R)esources (S)quandered

[fstop100]

If we let private industry use the money for research on alternative fuels we might have a chance. We need to keep the oil companies away from research, they will kill it, like the did trolley cars and electric cars. NASA should be gone and we should concentrate on making earth liveable for our children.

[harrydoghiny]

"Among the things it will look for is whether the ice melted in Mars'' history and whether the soil samples contain traces of organic compounds"

i.e. Oil