Mars Lander Has Short-Circuit Problem

A short circuit is serving as a nuisance to scientists operating the Phoenix Mars Lander.

The problem is in a device used to analyze ice and soil dug up from the Martian ground. The short was found during testing yesterday.

Scientists say they know what the problem is, and are working to fix it.

They're also excited by new pictures which show the lander may be sitting on a patch of ice. It's thought the spacecraft's thrusters may have uncovered the ice when the robot landed last Sunday.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Phoenix Mars Lander mission said a hacker took over the mission's public Web site during the night and changed its lead news story.

Spokeswoman Sara Hammond says a mission update posted Friday was replaced with a hacker's signature and a link redirecting visitors to an overseas Web site.

Hammond said the site hosted by the University of Arizona has been taken off line while computer experts work to correct the problem.

The Mars Lander vehicle touched down on the Red Planet last Sunday to search for traces of organic compounds that are the basic building blocks of life.

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