NASA has lost contact with the Mars Lander, bringing an end to the Phoenix mission five months after the spacecraft became the first to land in Mars' arctic plains and sample water on another planet.
A raging dust storm has blocked sunlight from reaching its solar panels. The craft's demise was not unexpected. With sunlight waning and winter encroaching the arctic plains, scientists had said that it was a matter of time before Phoenix would freeze to death.
Since its landing in May, Phoenix has sent back a bonanza of scientific discoveries, such as the confirmation of ice on Mars. -
Excerpt from the article, "Mars Lander 'dies' in Arctic Storm" - The Daily Telegraph" from The New Indian Express, Tiruchy, November 12, 2008.
Detailed Wikipedia article on "Phoenix" with color photos:
Grateful thanks to The Daily Telegraph, The New Indian Express and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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