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

Need to think of other ways of landing

[NorbrookC]

At some point, it might be useful to think of other methods of landing probes. Not all of the scientifically interesting areas are going to be near easy-to-land on sites, free of large rocks or unexpected features. In order to get to them, probes are going to have to land on rough terrain, or be able to move there. Which ought to pose some nice challenges for the engineers designing these probes.

Re:Need to think of other ways of landing

[DancesWithBlowTorch]

I actually find it quite intriguing that this sort of thing works at all. As the blurb claims (of course I didn't RTFA):

"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.

Assuming those rocks lie at least somewhat evenly spread apart, that's about one of those big dealbreakers per 4000 square feet. In other words, the spaceship has to be directed with such a precision, it could land in a suburb on Mars and be able to avoid hitting a house. Impressive!