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U.S. Phoenix Mars lander lifts off on Mars Arctic expedition (3) |
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10:54, August 05, 2007 |
Once Phoenix reaches its destination, "landing isn''t an easy task," said NASA. It will employ both a parachute to first slow the vehicle, and hydrazine-powered engines on the underside to control the speed of the final descent to the surface.
If survived landing, Unlike the durable twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity near the equator, the Phoenix Mars Lander will sit in one place and extend its long arm to dig trenches in the permafrost and scoop up soil for analysis. The lander, with two circular solar arrays, carries seven instruments designed for that special arctic exploration.
Its robot arm, about 2.35 meters long, will dig into the ground and deliver samples to two instruments for analysis. The arm can reach far enough to dig about half a meter deep.
The surface stereo imager, mounted on a mast, will provide high-resolution, color, stereo images of the terrain at the landing site and positioning information for use of the arm.
The meteorological station aboard Phoenix, provided by the Canadian Space Agency, will monitor changes in the Martian atmosphere.
There is no water on the arid Martian surface today, but Phoenix''s job is to find out whether the underground ice may have melted, creating a wetter environment. Scientists generally agree that water, along with the presence of organic materials and a stable heat source, is needed to support life.
Source: Xinhua
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