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NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Killed By Ice

Posted by Soulskill on from the wonder-if-it-will-rise-again dept.

coondoggie writes "NASA officially ended its Phoenix Mars Lander operation today after a new image of the machine showed severe ice damage to its solar panels, and repeated attempts to contact the spacecraft had failed. 'Apparent changes in the shadows cast by the lander are consistent with predictions of how Phoenix could be damaged by harsh winter conditions. It was anticipated that the weight of a carbon-dioxide ice buildup could bend or break the lander's solar panels. [Michael Mellon of the University of Colorado] calculated hundreds of pounds of ice probably coated the lander in mid-winter.'"

2 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. Oblig xkcd by Daetrin · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I know it's not the same lander, but i still think this xkcd is somewhat appropriate.

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    This Space Intentionally Left Blank
  2. Re:This mission was not a failure. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Iraq blown up....check

    Afghanstan blown up....check

    Sort of on the to do list.

    Personally I think it would have been more productive to just simply buy a Prius or any other car that got over 50mpg for the entire driving population of the US (157M) than piss away the money that has been and will be spent on the two wars and their retarded cousin Obamacare.