Phoenix lands on Mars !

NASA ^ | 5.25.08

[PGalt]

GRRRREAT news! GRRRREAT thread! FReeper humor bump! Thanks for the ping, neverdem.

America’s finest BUMP!

[MARKUSPRIME]

USA forever!!!!

[JustDoItAlways]

The polygonal pattern seen in this new image is reminiscent of the polygons in frozen Artic gravels.

[jetson]

ping

[Tanniker Smith]

LOL! I haven't followed Asia in quite a while.
Nice to see they have a tour (is it an album -- er, CD -- told you it's been a while) that doesn't start and end with the letter "A".

[jmcenanly]

I'd dare anyone to be able to tell the difference between the horizon shot by Phoenix and any B&W photo of ANWR. Between the bare soil and the frost heaves, there is barely any difference. The only difference is the red Martian sky.

[CapnJack]

“I am truly sorry for you. Don’t worry Nancy will still find a way to fund most of the massive Liberal boondoggles she promised.”

Why do you feel sorry for me ... I’m just asking a question? Most of these past NASA missions have been nothing but boondoggles. These types of missions remind me of the “bridge to nowhere” that was almost built.

How about that billion dollar space project be put to better use funding the VA! Put that in your friggen pipe and smoke it!

[Young Werther]

I’ve traveled the North Slope and visited the ANWAR. I hereby volunteer for the first Mars Mission.

[Vision]

So, we finally get to see what Martians look like. Awesome.

[RightWhale]

spaceflightnow.com

1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)

After being folded up on Earth a year ago, the Phoenix spacecraft’s robot arm finally got to move Wednesday as flight controllers began the process of unstowing the scoop-laden appendage that will dig up samples of the frozen martian terrain for study.

Flexing its wrist to free one restraint, the elbow lifted the forearm from a second restraint and then the 7.7-foot-long arm raised above its cradle that had protected the critical device during the rigors of launch last summer and Sunday night’s descent onto the arctic plains of Mars.

---

7.7 foot long digging arm ready to scoop some dirt.

[Vision]

I like the idea that they put a dvd describing Earth on it. You know, so other life could learn about us on their dvd players.

[RightWhale]

Did they do that?

Got to wonder. Still it’s not like sending a map to our home planet out on Voyager for who knows what interplanetary agents with cookbooks to find.

[Vision]

They did, they always have done stuff like that for satellites heading to the unknown.

But this once tickled me. If someone else has the technology to get to Mars, would they stop exploring, not check out the pretty blue ball, while trying to figure out what a dvd is instead?

[RightWhale]

NASA has a couple ‘send your name into space’ signups I know of. So I put my name on their webpage form and my name will be on one or more of these missions. Who knows, maybe a NASA scout will show up at my door selling cookies.