Phoenix Probe
May 25, 2008 was the day that the Phoenix Probe descended on Mars for search of microbial life using instruments aboard the lander to search for suitable environments. It was also used to research the water history. This was headed by the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona, under guidance of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This was a partnership of universities in the U.S., Canada, Denmark, the U.K., Switzerland, Germany, NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, MacDonals Dettwiler & Associates (MDA) the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and other aerospace companies. This was the first mission to Mars led by a public university in NASA history.
Phoenix is NASA's 6th successful landing from 7 attempts and is the most recent craft to have a successful landing in a Martian polar region. The mission was completed on August 2008, and made a last communication with Earth on Nov. 2nd as solar power dropped with the Martian winter. This mission was concluded on November 10, 2008, after engineers were unable to re-contact the spacecraft. After failed attempts to contact the lander by the Mars Odyssey orbiter up to and past the Martian summer solstice on May 12, 2010, JPL declared the lander dead. Similar to the two Mars Exploration Rovers, the program was considered successful because it completed all planned science experiments and observations.
Phoenix is NASA's 6th successful landing from 7 attempts and is the most recent craft to have a successful landing in a Martian polar region. The mission was completed on August 2008, and made a last communication with Earth on Nov. 2nd as solar power dropped with the Martian winter. This mission was concluded on November 10, 2008, after engineers were unable to re-contact the spacecraft. After failed attempts to contact the lander by the Mars Odyssey orbiter up to and past the Martian summer solstice on May 12, 2010, JPL declared the lander dead. Similar to the two Mars Exploration Rovers, the program was considered successful because it completed all planned science experiments and observations.