More NASA brilliance

Phoenix will land on Mars this evening, and investigate a site in the far north; the key questions Phoenix will address concern water and conditions that could support life. Phoenix will land in an arctic plain comparable in latitude to central Greenland or northern Alaska. The selected landing area is centered at 68.16 degrees north latitude, 233.35 degrees east longitude. Topographical mapping by Mars Global Surveyor’s laser altimeter indicates a broad, shallow valley about 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) wide and only about 250 meters (about 800 feet) deep. The mission’s three main science objectives are to study the history of water in all its phases, to determine if the Martian arctic soil could support life and to study Martian weather from a polar perspective. If electrical output from the solar panels remains adequate and other subsystems are functioning, the mission for Phoenix might be extended for an additional month or two, into late summer or early fall at the landing site. Factors in how long the lander can keep getting adequate solar power include whether it lands with a southward tilt and how quickly dust accumulates on the solar panels.

Rico says he can hardly wait for the first images...