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NASA Phoenix Mission Ready For Mars Landing

Posted by kdawson on from the boulder-dodging dept.

Several readers relayed the press release from JPL about the upcoming landing of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander on May 25. It's going to set down in the north polar regions and look for indications of whether conditions have ever been favorable for microbial life. "Phoenix will enter the top of the Martian atmosphere at almost 21,000 kilometers per hour... In seven minutes, the spacecraft must complete a challenging sequence of events to slow to about 8 kilometers per hour... before its three legs reach the ground. Confirmation of the landing could come as early as 7:53 p.m. EDT. 'This is not a trip to grandma's house. Putting a spacecraft safely on Mars is hard and risky,' said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. 'Internationally, fewer than half the attempts have succeeded.'"

5 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Great stuff I guess but why isn't NASA doing mo by pipatron · · Score: -1, Troll

    You just missed your chance to join the GNAA.

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    c++; /* this makes c bigger but returns the old value */
  2. Re:Slow to about 8 kilometers per hour. by Erie+Ed · · Score: -1, Troll

    You could literally double or treble the cost of the entire project by "beefing up" the lander. treble??? what is this new unit that you speak of...
  3. Place your bets here by LaTechTech · · Score: -1, Troll

    With these odds being slightly better than roulette; someone might as well start collecting money*...

    50/50

    Success/Lawn Dart

    *Collection fees non negotiable

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    I want my! I want my! I want my Eee PC!
  4. insidious corepirate nazi propaganda machine... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    continues cranking out fiction/fluff at record levels, whilst we wait for the next ??? to fall. yuk, i mean phewww. fortunately, there's nowhere left to hide. the lights are coming up all over now. see you there?

  5. this is goatSex by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    BUT IT'S NOT A and, a7ter initial