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Mars Phoenix Lander Given The Go

Posted by Zonk on from the to-boldly-go dept.

stlhawkeye writes "The BBC is running an article which indicates that NASA has green-lit Phoenix, the next Mars mission. NASA also has some details on the mission, which is centered around locating water on the red planet. Originally planned as part of the 2001 Mars Surveyor mission, the lander would launch in 2007. Among the more interesting plans for the mission is a new type of camera to photograph the landing site just before touchdown, and a robotic arm to claw through three feet of soil. The lander would touchdown near the polar ice cap. The mission is characterized as the first 'scout' mission for possible manned landing in the future."

2 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. Will Phoenix be renamed ... by xmas2003 · · Score: 5, Funny

    To Firebird?

    --
    Hulk SMASH Celiac Disease
  2. Further late breaking news by Steve_Jobs_HNIC · · Score: 5, Funny

    NASA administrator Paul Brown was quoted as saying "We've recently discovered a pervious mission with the name Phoenix, therefor we'll need to change the name to Firebird."

    This was quickly followed up by another response "Actually we've found another mission with the name Firebird, so uhhh.... we're gonna settle with FireFox".

    And a few moments later, "OK, fuckit, we're just gonna call it WammyJoMammy. Take that ya name hoggin bastards"