Safe and Sound

Well, the Phoenix Lander has made it to the surface of Mars, settling onto a flat spot in the Martian arctic. According to Peter Smith, the principal investigator for the mission, the lander is only a half-degree off from being completely flat. That’s some accomplishment!

The next one? Sending the first images back from the Phoenix Lander

Update: Here’s one of the first images from Mars sent by the Phoenix Lander. More are being uploaded, and you can explore to your heart’s content at the University of Arizona’s mission web page. These servers are getting slammed with a lot of hits, so be patient.

Below is the view from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which caught a glimpse of Phoenix on its final descent to the Mars surface.