NASA Selects Landing Site for Phoenix Mars Lander

Earlier this week, NASA made a course adjustment for its Phoenix Mars Lander which puts it on a path to land in "Green Valley" on the Red Planet late next month. The site was chosen for being a broad, flat expanse that is relatively free of rocks capable of damaging the lander when it sets down. The location will be confirmed pending further reconnaissance from an orbiting satellite. The probe's mission, which we've previously discussed, is to investigate subsurface ice. "The landing area is an ellipse about 62 miles by about 12 miles (100 kilometers by 20 kilometers). Researchers have mapped more than five million rocks in and around that ellipse, each big enough to end the mission if hit by the spacecraft during landing. Knowing where to avoid the rockier areas, the team has selected a scientifically exciting target that also offers the best chances for the spacecraft to set itself down safely onto the Martian surface."

Comments

Re:Need to think of other ways of landing

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but rovers are more expensive. The Phoenix lander was one of NASA's throwaway missions (the Mars Scout missions). They didn't throw in all the bells and whistles nor did they expect a 100% chance of success. It was launched because it was cheap and there is a moderate chance of success. If it fails it won't be a big deal since it was cheap. At least that is the logic behind it.

I'm not sure I agree with this philosophy. It sounds good on paper but we need to remember what happened to the Mars Polar Lander, part of Dan Goldin's Better-Faster-Cheaper program. I think we all remember how that program worked. It seems to me that the Phoenix lander is just another Better-Faster-Cheaper probe. I hope it doesn't die like many of the others. I like the idea of getting science on the cheap, but the engineer in me is extremely skeptical.

Let's hope this time...

[hyades1]

...they come up with a good answer to that single most important question: "Will that be metric or imperial?"