This forum is in read-only mode for archive purposes, please use our new forum at https://community.justflight.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Just Chat > Just Chat - General Discussion
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - NASA's Phoenix Scoops up Martian Soil
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

NASA's Phoenix Scoops up Martian Soil

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
MartinW View Drop Down
Moderator in Command
Moderator in Command
Avatar

Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Location: United Kingdom
Points: 26722
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MartinW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: NASA's Phoenix Scoops up Martian Soil
    Posted: 02 Jun 2008 at 8:06pm
NASA's Phoenix Scoops up Martian Soil
06.02.08 -- One week after landing on far-northern Mars, NASA Phoenix spacecraft lifted its first scoop of Martian soil as a test of the lander's Robotic Arm.
 
Martian%20Soil%20Inside%20Phoenixs%20Robotic%20Arm%20Scoop
 
 

This image from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Robotic Arm Camera (RAC) shows material from the Martian surface captured by the Robotic Arm (RA) scoop during its first test dig and dump on the seventh Martian day of the mission, or Sol 7 (June 1, 2008). The test sample shown was taken from the digging area informally known as "Knave of Hearts."

Scientists speculate that the white patches on the right side of the image could possibly be ice or salts that precipitated into the soil. Scientists also speculate that this white material is probably the same material seen in previous images from under the lander in which an upper surface of an ice table was observed. The color for this image was acquired by
illuminating the RA scoop with a set of red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
 
Phoenix%20Test%20Sample%20Site%20in%20Color
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down