U.S. Phoenix Mars lander lifts off

U.S. Phoenix Mars lander lifts off


www.chinaview.cn 2007-08-04 17:29:56 Print

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Atop a Delta 2 rocket, U.S. Mars Phoenix lander lifted off early Saturday to begin its nearly-10-month journey toward Mars Arctic, on a mission to seek clues of possible form of life on that red planet.

The Phoenix spacecraft blasted off at 5:26 a.m. (0926 GMT) on Saturday, with a cooperative weather around the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to NASA TV reports.


Atop a Delta 2 rocket, U.S. Mars Phoenix lander lifted off early Saturday to begin its nearly-10-month journey toward Mars Arctic, on a mission to seek clues of possible form of life on that red planet.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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NASA confirmed that the lander system "continues to look good" several minutes after the liftoff. All the solid-fueled boosters have burned out and jettisoned, and "everything is on track", said NASA TV.

It was originally scheduled to launch on Friday, but the launch was postponed 24 hours after adverse weather Tuesday prevented fueling of the rocket.

The lander's assignment is to dig through the Martian soil and ice in the arctic region and use its onboard scientific instruments to analyze the samples it retrieves.

Like its namesake mythological bird, Phoenix rises from remnants of its predecessors. It uses many components of a spacecraft originally built for a 2001 Mars lander mission, which was kept in careful storage after that mission was cancelled. The science payload for Phoenix includes instruments built for the 2001 lander and improved versions of others flown on the lost Mars Polar Lander in 1999.


Atop a Delta 2 rocket, U.S. Mars Phoenix lander lifted off early Saturday to begin its nearly-10-month journey toward Mars Arctic, on a mission to seek clues of possible form of life on that red planet.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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Also, Phoenix is the first project from NASA's Scout program, a low-cost complement to pricier Mars missions in orbit and on the surface. With the 420-million-dollar mission, NASA hopes Phoenix to dig out clues of water and even environment suitable for life at Martian pole, following the agency's "seeking water" strategy on Mars exploration.

If all goes according to schedule, three-legged Phoenix should land on Mars in late May 2008. It will land in icy soils near the north polar permanent ice cap at a Martian latitude equivalent to northern Alaska on Earth.

However, landing is the biggest challenge any Mars probe should face. Of the 15 global attempts to land spacecraft on Mars, only five have made it.

If survived landing, unlike the durable twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity near the equator, the Phoenix Mars Lander will sit in one place and extend its long arm to dig trenches in the permafrost and scoop up soil for analysis. The lander carries seven instruments designed for that special arctic exploration.

There is no water on the arid Martian surface today, but Phoenix's job is to find out whether the underground ice may have melted, creating a wetter environment. Scientists generally agree that water, along with the presence of organic materials and a stable heat source, is needed to support life.


Atop a Delta 2 rocket, U.S. Mars Phoenix lander lifted off early Saturday to begin its nearly-10-month journey toward Mars Arctic, on a mission to seek clues of possible form of life on that red planet.(Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery>>>




Atop a Delta 2 rocket, U.S. Mars Phoenix lander lifted off early Saturday to begin its nearly-10-month journey toward Mars Arctic, on a mission to seek clues of possible form of life on that red planet.(Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery>>>




Atop a Delta 2 rocket, U.S. Mars Phoenix lander lifted off early Saturday to begin its nearly-10-month journey toward Mars Arctic, on a mission to seek clues of possible form of life on that red planet.(Xinhua Photo)
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