Armed & ready: Phoenix prepares for 1st Mars assignment

William Atkins
Friday, 30 May 2008 21:18

Science - Space

On Thursday, May 29, 2008, NASA announced that the Phoenix Mars Lander has used its robotic arm for the very first time on the Martian surface. NASA calls it a “significant milestone.”

According to NASA scientist Matthew L. Robinson, who is the lead engineer for the flight software used by the robotic arm, "Yesterday [Wednesday] we sent commands... down to the lander to unstow the arm, and today [Thursday] I am ecstatic to let you know that it was successful.” [BBC News: “Mars lander flexes its robot arm”]

Robinson later added, “All of the joints are healthy, and we’re raring to go.” [The New York Times: “Mars Lander Starts Moving Its Robotic Arm”]

The Lander also took a panoramic image of its surroundings on the northern plans of Mars, along with testing a laser instrument that will be used to study clouds above and dust below.

University of Arizona professor Peter H. Smith, the principal investigator for the Phoenix mission, described the land within the 360-degree panorama was “hummocky terrain,” being primarily flat with some bumpy places and troughs, which have been determined to be caused by the movement of undersurface ice as it expands and contracts under variable temperature conditions.

Smith also commented, “We've imaged the entire landing site, all 360 degrees of it. We see it all. You can see the lander in a fish-eye view that goes all the way out to the entire horizon "We are now making plans for where to dig first, and what we'll save for later." [NASA: “NASA Phoenix Mars Lander Puts Arm and Other Tools to Work”]

The rocks in the image were found to be five to eight inches across. Some of the Phoenix science team are naming the rocks and troughs for characters, authors, and important ideas in folk legends and fairy tales.

So far, “Headless,” “Ichabod,” and “Sleepy Hollow” have become names of two rocks and one trough, respectively, all after characters from Ichabod Crane stories.

It is cold on Mars. But, just how cold? Please read on. A video/audio of the landing of Phoenix is available on the next page, too.