Viewpoint: Mars - what we've learnt in five years

BBC News ^ | May 24, 2013 | Tom Pike

[OddLane]

On 25 May, it will be five years since Nasa's robotic spacecraft Phoenix touched down in the Martian "arctic". Here, Dr Tom Pike, one of the mission scientists on Phoenix, explains what we've learnt about the Red Planet in that time.

I'm tightly sandwiched between missions to Mars. I'm still analysing data from Phoenix, while building hardware for the seismometers launching on InSight.

In my spare time, I like to keep an eye on the data coming down from Curiosity. Although workdays and weekends are rather blurred, there are some dates I take great care to remember.

Five years ago today, the Phoenix Lander started its descent towards the northern plains of Mars. I was following the live feed from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the Phoenix Science Operations Center in Arizona.

[BenLurkin]

What do you mean ‘we” BB? I don’t see a Union Jack on those rovers.

[GeorgeWashingtonsGhost]

“learnt”.. Oh I love poetry! /s

[doc1019]

what we've learnt in five years

Little green men are elusive.

[P.O.E.]

So are the Mysterons...

[doc1019]

Yea, them too. LOL! ;-)

[freedumb2003]

No big-breasted Martian women.

Time to shut the program down...

[LibLieSlayer]

“Dang it’s cold here!”

LLS

[Drew68]

What do you mean ‘we” BB? I don’t see a Union Jack on those rovers.

From Wikipedia

Phoenix was a partnership of universities, NASA centers, and the aerospace industry. The science instruments and operations were a University of Arizona responsibility. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, managed the project and provided mission design and control. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, Colorado, built and tested the spacecraft. The Canadian Space Agency provided a meteorological station, including an innovative Laser-based atmospheric sensor. The co-investigator institutions included Malin Space Science Systems (California), Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (Germany), NASA Ames Research Center (California), NASA Johnson Space Center (Texas), MDA (Canada), Optech Incorporated (Canada), SETI Institute, Texas A&M University, Tufts University, University of Colorado, University of Copenhagen (Denmark), University of Michigan, University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland), University of Texas at Dallas, University of Washington, Washington University in St. Louis, and York University (Canada). Scientists from Imperial College London and Bristol University have provided hardware for the mission and were part of the team operating the microscope station.

[Gamecock]

[Conserev1]

[Conserev1]

Pizza Hut franchises available contact me!

[UCANSEE2]

Little green men are elusive.

They do it with mirrors.

[doc1019]

LOL! No doubt

[Revolting cat!]

What we've long known!

[Conserev1]

[JoeProBono]

[CottShop]

“We’ve learned that all we have to do is mention that life may have ‘evolved’ in outer space soemwhere isnteasd of havign been created just like hte bible telsl us it was, and govenrment which is so desperate to kick God out of everythign will grant us billions of dollars to waste on toys that we can play with for years on end- other than that we haven’t learned a damn thing really”

[DanielRedfoot]

Learn’t ?

...Jethro Bodine reporting, BBC

[cydcharisse]

Stop confusing us with the facts.