Phoenix Mars Mission...

[mabsj2]

The NASA Phoenix mars mission is landing on Mars by Monday 26th May.
i am very certain this is going to be a success based on previous missions like the 2 rovers spirit and opportunity, Viking, Mars Odyssey and the mars express orbiter.... the list goes on..

but still this is not a guarantee that its going to be successful. anything can happen now......

so do you guys think this mission is going to be a success??
or its going to follow the like of Mars Polar Lander, Mars climate orbiter and Beagle2!!!!

[xelasnave]

It will be a success if they can work out what went wrong!
You gotta keep your fingers crossed and maybe wishing hard will help...
AND the name Phoenix suggests possible imortality..

I just have a feeling this time there will be something really important discovered ... a hint at life? or a gold deposit I dont know ... I hope it goes very well for them

alex

[wavelandscott]

Safe landing predicted and soon after lots of evidence of water and other nifty materials so that the first Mars base can be built much faster and cheaper than planned...

At least I hope that is what happens...fingers crossed!

[Ric]

I agree with Alex, I've got a feeling this is going to be a really special mission and as a result the manned missions to Mars will be brought forward.

Ever the optimist.

Cheers

[spearo]

Hmmmm
maybe they'll find my car keys...
frank

[OneOfOne]

I am really hoping that some little bugs turn up in their diggings, which would make it the most important discovery in the known universe. If we knew there was life up there, the race would be ON! At least to get a rover with sample return.

[MikeyB]

Now coming through live on NASA TV (1 hour 40 min until touchdown):

NASA live TV (http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx)

[madtuna]

so far so good! this is bloody exciting!

[JimmyH155]

Fingers crossed - 10 minutes to go:D

[madtuna]

Yes!!!!

[matt]

Made it!!!!

Congrats to NASA and Co.

Let's hope everything goes smoothly from here:thumbsup:

[madtuna]

I have just learn't CNN live is 4 minutes more live than NASA tv live :lol:

[wavelandscott]

Great landing...hope the rest of the mission goes as planned too!

[matt]

Looking forward to the first images/pics being beamed back in the next few hours:eyepop:

How exciting!

[JimmyH155]

And I cannot get any pictures - the company has disabled the feature:mad2: ANYWAY, I am so excited that I will be nice to people all day:D:D My wife says that the ABC radio gave the news in 5 seconds, then on to the political rubbish and murders. Shows how exciting they think of this....

[South Poll]

Well done PHOENIX and all who sailed her!!! Watched "live", great to be able to "participate" to that extent :thumbsup:

[venus]

I also watched the NASA tv event was very exciting.

Great to see that everything so far has gone well.

[xstream]

First images have just been televised.

Brilliant!

[PCH]

Voted 'Yes' - but doesn't everyone love watching Mars?!:D

APOD has a very good animation for those that didn't make the live landing.

Cheers,:thumbsup:

[Glenhuon]

If doesn't concern Politics, Sex or Money then its non news to the Aus media. :rolleyes:

Bill

[Ric]

Just saw the first picture on the NASA site, very interesting looking area, lot's of little dunes everywhere.

Looking forward to the colour pictures.

Cheers

[spacezebra]

Hey guys

I watched the broadcast on NASA TV from about 9.00am today - absolutely brilliant!!

Cheers Petra d.

[GrahamL]

looks like the river flats when the tides gone out:) thats a very earth like
feature imo ...wonder what else they will find in all those ruts ?

[timelord]

Great work! But I can't believe it only has an estimated 3 months to live! Once it freezes over in winter its reported it dies, hope it acomplishes all it is meant to and more in its short life then may it rest in peace.
Al.

[madtuna]

hot off the NASA site :eyepop:

[Glenhuon]

:lol::lol:

[gaa_ian]

I just knew there were LGM's there ... they are so shiny too :lol:

[mabsj2]

i did not watch the landing live but i saw the pictures after. i think they are great. finally the long wait is over, Phoenix is busy right now.

for those who really need to see the pictures here is the link http://www.nasa.gov/phoenix
you can check out my Blog (http://mabsj2.blogspot.com)... i've written something about the landing.

right now we are waiting for the details about the Health of the spacecraft. i am very certain its doing great.....

[AstralTraveller]

When I saw that first image from Phoenix I though "Wow that looks exactly like patterned ground on Earth!" Patterned ground is formed in periglacial regions by repeated freezing and thawing of the ground. See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterned_ground
http://www.hi.is/~oi/glacial_geology_photos.htm&h=880&w=1420&sz=302&tbnid=fzj5Uhy1PnkJ:&tbnh=93&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpatterned%2Bground&hl=en&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&cd=2 (http://www.hi.is/%7Eoi/permafrost%2520features%2520on%2520 Kvadehukslette.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hi.is/%7Eoi/glacial_geology_photos.htm&h=880&w=1420&sz=302&tbnid=fzj5Uhy1PnkJ:&tbnh=93&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpatterned%2Bground&hl=en&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&cd=2)

NASA obviously read my mind because they are now saying the same.:P

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/images/press/false_color_postcard_edr.html

BTW In the Australian context beware of associating such morphology with prior periglacial conditions. Broadly similar morphology can also be produced by wetting and drying of swelling clays. See

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/9527/gilgailinks.htm
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/gloss_dg
http://crcleme.org.au/Pubs/Advancesinregolith/Webb.pdf

[Geoff45]

Another recent pic

[Alchemy]

hope theyve got home delivered, roast that in the chemical oven and see what they get....... no organic material here :lol:

[Ric]

Nice one Geoff.:lol:

Why does it not suprise me though.:whistle:

[mabsj2]

Phoenix is still doing very good. most checks have been done and he is doing just fine.

the latest news is that Phoenix has started deploying its Robotic Arm.. for more info go to http://www.nasa.gov

here is the Picture..
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/231371main_phoeniix_may29_690.jpg

[MikeyB]

Where the retro rocket thrusters have blown the dust away, Phoenix appears to be standing on it!

[mabsj2]

Phoenix has made an Impression on Mars.
The Lander reached out and touched the Martian soil for the first time on Saturday, May 31, the first step in a series of actions expected to bring soil and ice to the lander's experiments......

still doing good.... Still hoping for more...

[gaa_ian]

Did you see the mark dubbed "Yeti" looks like a footprint !

[leinad]

Is it just my browser or my connection; are others not able to get to the Arizona Phoenix website ???

http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/

[erick]

no problem for me..............

[leinad]

Maybe this is why :O
Phoenix Website takes website hack hits
http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/blogsPost.php?bID=205

Check this out too. Mars Phoenix updates using Twitter

http://twitter.com/Marsphoenix

[mabsj2]

cool, i am definately going to follow you. thanks for that link.

[mabsj2]

check out the latest image from Phoenix ....

http://myastronomyjournal.com/user_images/mabsj2_images/j2.jpg

get more at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/ (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/)

[Jen]

Well if they at least do find any bugs out there they can bloody well keep them there :lol:
:scared::scared3:
(jen does not like creepy crawlies):poke:

[TrevorW]

Jen I watched Alien again for the 20th time last night, now thats some scary bug !!!!

If they turn up anything it'll be a blessing but pictures so far look line my back yard.

:lol:

[Jen]

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Ric]

Apparently initial tests show the soil is alkaline and good for growing asparagus and beans.:thumbsup:

Trevor if you find a bug like the alien in your backyard, RUN :scared: or you could post it to Jen :rofl:

[Jen]

:scared::scared::scared: arhhhhhh no i dont want it :scared3::eek::eek::eek:
shoo bug shoo...... go back to mars dam it :doh:

[mabsj2]

38 days into the mission and its still going fine....

right now Phoenix is preparing to bake the ice rich samples it got. read full story (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/news/phoenix-20080702.html)

check out the Phoenix page (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/) for more...

[Jen]

:clap::clap::clap::clap:

:rover1::rover1::rover1::rover1:

[mabsj2]

Here is one of the images... for more go to the Phoenix page (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/)..

[gaa_ian]

This mission just continues to get better.
I thought it was certainly worth a segment on my science show.
Podcast is now live on AskTheScienceGuru.com
http://www.askthescienceguru.com/?p=26

I look forward to more exciting news next week when they do their ice analysis.

[kinetic]

Just Great!

Imagine the first campfire night at Mission Alpha Mars Base.
It would be like a scene from Blazing Saddles.
They would probably gas themselves inside their suits.
Suddenly the comms link goes dead after lots of muffled explosion
noises and laughter.:D




Steve

[mabsj2]

Woot, Ice confirmed... The mission keeps getting better....

read more on my Blog (http://mabsj2.blogspot.com/2008/08/phoenix-confirms-water-on-mars-mission.html)...
here is the link .... http://mabsj2.blogspot.com/2008/08/phoenix-confirms-water-on-mars-mission.html

[mabsj2]

Perchlorate salts are suspected to be present in soils but scientists don't know if its good or bad news!!!

here is NASA's position



read more (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-155)

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-155