Fact_Sheet.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

Phoenix Mars Mission

Uncovering the Mysteries

of the Martian Arctic

Continuing Mars Exploration

Phoenix is designed to be an innovative, low-cost part of the

NASA’s Mars Exploration Program and will be instrumental in

achieving this program’s long-term goals: (1) Determine whether

Life ever Arose on Mars, (2) Characterize the Climate of Mars,

(3) Characterize the Geology of Mars, and (4) Prepare for Human

Exploration.

The Phoenix Mars Mission , scheduled

for launch in August 2007, is the irst in

NASA’s “Scout Program.” Phoenix is

designed to study the history of water

and search for complex organic molecules

in the ice-rich soil of the martian arctic.

Phoenix inherits a highly capable spacecraft

built for the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 (MSP

’01) lander, as well as scientiic instruments from the Mars Polar

Lander (MPL). Using the lessons learned from the MPL and

MSP ’01 experiences, the mission engineering team is working

on developing enhanced spacecraft reliability through extensive

testing, (i.e. beyond normal integration and environment testing

that occurs for all missions).

The Phoenix Team

The Phoenix Mars Lander Mission is operated for NASA by

the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona

in partnership with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lockheed

Martin, and the Canadian Space Agency. In addition to these

major partners, scientists from academic institutions and laborato-

ries around the world will participate in the mission. Peter Smith

of the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory

heads the Phoenix Mission , the irst mission to Mars led by an

academic institution.

What will Phoenix ind in

Mars’ Northern Plains?

Mars is a cold desert planet with

no liquid water on its surface.

However, discoveries made by

the Mars Odyssey Orbiter in 2002

show large amounts of subsurface

water-ice in the northern arctic

plains. The Phoenix lander targets

this region; a robotic arm digs

through the protective top soil layer to the water-ice below; and

ultimately, brings both soil and water-ice to the lander platform

for scientiic analysis.

Rising from the Ashes

Like the Phoenix bird of ancient mythology, the Phoenix

Mars Mission is reborn out of ire; this new mission was

created from the embers of previous Mars endeavors.

Phoenix will use many components of two unsuccessful

Mars missions, MPL and MSP ‘01. Using lessons learned

and an extensive testing program, scientists and engineers

are conident that Phoenix will rise from the ashes reveal-

ing clues in the martian arctic soils about the history of

water and potential for biology.

Phoenix Mars Mission

Lunar and Planetary

Laboratory

rev. 11/05

Phoenix Mars Mission: Objectives

The Phoenix Mars Lander seeks to verify the presence

of water and habitable conditions in the martian arctic.

1) Study the history of water by examining water-ice

below the martian surface.

Liquid water does not currently exist on the surface of Mars, but

evidence from Mars Global Surveyor, Odyssey, and Exploration

Rover missions suggest that water once lowed in canyons and

persisted in shallow lakes billions of years ago. However, Phoenix

will probe the history of liquid water that may have existed in the

arctic as recently as 100,000 years ago. By digging into the soil

and water-ice just below the surface and analyzing the chemistry

of the soil and ice with robust instruments, scientists will better

understand the history of the martian arctic.

Spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin

2) Determine if the martian arctic soil could support life.

Recent discoveries show that life can exist in the most extreme

conditions. Certain bacterial spores lie dormant in bitterly cold,

dry, and airless conditions for millions of years and become

activated once conditions become favorable. Such dormant

microbial colonies may exist in the martian arctic, where during

brief periods about every 100,000 years the soil environment

is believed to be favorable for life. Phoenix will explore the

habitability of the martian environment by using sophisticated

chemical experiments to assess the soil’s composition of

life-giving elements such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and

hydrogen. Phoenix will also dig into the soil protected from

harmful solar radiation, looking for organic life signatures.

The Phoenix Mars Lander is being designed, built and operated for NASA by the Lunar

and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona in partnership with the Jet Propulsion

Laboratory, Lockheed Martin and the Canadian Space Agency.

The science instruments aboard Phoenix represent some of the

most sophisticated and advanced technology ever sent to Mars.

Robotic Arm (RA)

Built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The RA is critical to the operations of

the Phoenix lander and is designed to dig

trenches, scoop up soil and water-ice

samples, and deliver these samples to the TEGA and MECA

instruments for detailed chemical and geological analysis.

Microscopy, Electrochemistry,

and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA)

Built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,

the University of Arizona, and the

University of Neuchatel

MECA is a combination of several scientiic instruments including

a wet chemistry laboratory, optical and atomic force microscopes,

and a thermal and electrical conductivity probe. By mixing small

amounts of soil in water, MECA determines important chemical

properties like acidity, saltiness, and composition. Looking

through a microscope, MECA examines the soil grains to help

determine their origin and mineralogy. Needles stuck into the soil

determine the water and ice content.

Robotic Arm Camera (RAC)

Built by the University of Arizona

and Max Planck Institute

The RAC is attached to the Robotic Arm

(RA) just above the scoop. The instrument

provides close-up, full-color images of (1) the martian surface,

(2) prospective soil and water-ice samples, (3) collected samples

in the RA scoop, and (4) the loor and side-walls of the trench

to examine ine-scale texturing and layering.

Mars Descent Imager (MARDI)

Built by Malin Space Science Systems

MARDI plays a key science role during

Phoenix’s descent to the martian arctic.

Beginning just after the aeroshell is jettisoned

at an altitude of about 5 miles, MARDI will acquire a series of

wide-angle, color images of the landing site all the way down to

the surface.

Surface Stereoscopic

Imager (SSI)

Built by the University of Arizona

SSI will serve as Phoenix’s “eyes” for the

mission, providing high-resolution, ste-

reoscopic, panoramic images of the martian arctic. Using an

advanced optical system, SSI will survey the arctic landing

site for geological context, provide range maps in support of

digging operations, and make atmospheric dust and cloud

measurements.

Meteorological Station (MET)

Built by the Canadian Space Agency

Throughout the course of Phoenix surface

operations, MET will record the daily weather

of the martian northern plains using

temperature and pressure sensors, as well as a light detection

and ranging (LIDAR) instrument. With these instruments, MET

will play an important role by providing information on the

current state of the polar atmosphere and how water is cycled

between the solid and gas phases in the martian arctic.

Thermal and Evolved Gas

Analyzer (TEGA)

Built by the University of Arizona

and the University of Texas, Dallas

TEGA is a combination high-temperature

oven and mass spectrometer instrument that scientists will

use to analyze martian ice and soil samples. Small amounts

of soil and ice will be delivered into eight tiny ovens. The oven

temperature will increase and the power will be monitored.

The gases that are boiled out of the sample will be piped to

a mass spectrometer for chemical analysis. This process will

give important information about the chemical character of

the soil and ice.

Phoenix Mars Mission: Water on Mars

Today, Mars is a cold, dry world with a thin, carbon-dioxide

atmosphere. Mars’ surface has no liquid water – no rivers, lakes,

or oceans. However, evidence exists suggesting Mars was very

different in the past. How do we know? What is the evidence?

Extensive spacecraft exploration of Mars

has revealed geologic features that lead

us to believe liquid water once lowed

on Mars. Channels connect high and

low areas convincing most scientists that

water eroded these channels long ago.

Gullies are another geologic feature

providing evidence of past liquid water

Although scientists do not believe liquid

water currently exists on the martian

surface, they know water exists in the form

of ice. Both the north and south polar

caps are made of frozen water.

on Mars, and scientists are actively debating the formation of these

gullies. One idea suggests that liquid water, lowing underneath

a protective layer of snow, may form martian gullies similar

to those on Earth. No evidence exists of liquid water currently

lowing on the surface, but evidence of

past liquid water on the surface contin-

ues to build. Liquid water is important

because all known life forms require it to

survive. The exploration and discovery

continues with scientists on Earth, robots

like Phoenix, and maybe someday,

humans on Mars.

Channels, Nanedi Vallis, Mars

Water-Ice, North Polar Cap, Mars

Gullies, Terra Sirenum, Mars

Images: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

The Phoenix Mission Timeline

The Phoenix Mars

Lander is selected as

the irst NASA Scout

Mission.

NASA conirms the

Phoenix Mars Mission

and gives the green

light to move forward.

Phoenix is delivered

to the Kennedy Space

Center in Cape

Canaveral, Florida.

Phoenix launches

on a Boeing Delta II

rocket.

Phoenix arrives in the

martian north polar

region and begins

primary operations.

Design

Build and Test

Launch Prep

Cruise

Science Ops

To learn more visit: http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu

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