Mars probe to start digging
- 00:01:55
- ITN
Mars probe to start digging
A sharp-eyed Mars orbiter has snapped an image of sister probe Phoenix descending through Martian skies.Phoenix touched down on Sunday, becoming the first spacecraft to reach a polar region of Mars. Problems during descent doomed Nasa's first polar lander in 1999.The unprecedented image, taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the small probe dangling beneath its parachute.Features of the planet's face, including polygon-shaped patterns in the frozen arctic soil, can be seen faintly in the background.The shapes are of interest to scientists who plan to use Phoenix to dig beneath what is expected to be a thin layer of soil to sample underlying ice. They want to learn if the water was ever liquid, which is believed to be necessary for life.So far, the Phoenix science team has had only a tantalising glimpse of the landing site from an on-board camera that has completed only a low-resolution sliver of a planned 360-degree panoramic image.The probe is using two satellites - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey - to communicate with controllers on Earth."We're particularly interested in seeing what's in our digging area," lead scientist Peter Smith said.Cracks in the ground are a sign of changes in underlying ice, Smith said. Scientists believe the cracks are fresh because they are not covered with the fine red dust that permeates Mars' atmosphere.Checks on Phoenix science instruments and an assessment of the landing site will continue throughout the week.Over the next three months, scientists want to bore into the ground and study water and soil samples to determine if conditions were suitable to support life.
ITN | May 27, 2008
