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[QUOTE]Originally posted by NaturalResources: [QB] Thanks for the comments everyone. More images today from MRO's HiRISE imager. Amazing! [IMG]http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm306/NRAllstocks/MROHiRISEviewcontext.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm306/NRAllstocks/MROHiRisecolorviewcontext.jpg[/IMG] One thing I noticed from the second image is that the area of disturbance around the lander is much larger than the reach of the robotic arm. This, IMO means that the first few scoops of soil they test should be consider contaminated or altered because of the landing thrusters. Scientists and engineers are celebrating Phoenix's "soft landing" using thrusters, but IMO, perhaps a "airbag landing" similar to those used for the MER Rovers, would have been more appropriate for this mission. However, I am by no means a rocket scientist so I am sure they had their reasons. Phoenix wasn't originally designed to land in the polar region so this could have a lot to do with it. I also noticed from the MRO HiRISE images that the parachute and back shell set down near the lander, and after viewing the image below from Phoenix, I am convinced the "white object" mentioned in the earlier press conference is indeed the back shell. [IMG]http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm306/NRAllstocks/PhoenixWhiteObject.jpg[/IMG] This has probably already been confirmed, I am not sure, I have been unable to watch any recent press conferences and couldn't find any information on the issue. In today's news, scientists at NASA attempted to deploy the robotic arm but were delayed by a glitch in the radio relay between Phoenix and MRO. This issue has since been resolved by switching to a relay with NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, and Phoenix program manager, Ed Sedivy, at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. described it as a "one day hickup and "no big deal". For more information see this Yahoo News article: [b]Radio glitch delays activities for Mars lander[/b] [URL=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080528/ap_on_sc/phoenix_mars;_ylt=AmwY4G12DICju1I_o2uRTjSs0NUE]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080528/ap_on_sc/phoenix_mars;_ylt=AmwY4G12DICju1I_o 2uRTjSs0NUE[/URL] and: [b]Mars probe sends back new pictures of landing site[/b] [URL=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080528/wl_canada_nm/canada_space_mars_col_5;_ylt=AusVGeClGhifR4Gf.wfnnOhxieAA]http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080528/wl_canada_nm/canada_space_mars_col_5;_ylt=Au sVGeClGhifR4Gf.wfnnOhxieAA[/URL] Per an earlier press conference I watched, Phoenix cannot directly communicate with Earth because it does not have a high gain antenna on board. This was a decision NASA scientists made early on in the re-design phase order to save weight, conserve power, and add larger science packages. At that time, NASA scientists had already been using MRO as a relay for the MER-A and MER-B Rovers. Both rovers are capable of direct Earth communication, but due to dust on the solar panels engineers were conserving power by using the rover's low gain antennas to relay information back and forth using MRO. On <a HREF="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/index.html">NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Mission Official Website</a> , a weather report for SOL 1 has been posted <a HREF="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/images/press/Sol001_weather_report_black_background_1-r2_.html">here</a>, which means the weather science package on Phoenix is working. Pictures received yesterday show that even though the "bio-barrier" which surrounded the digging arm had not fully retracted, it has retracted a little bit further today, and should not hinder the arm's deployment. Scientists will attempt to move the arm from the "stowed" position tomorrow. [IMG]http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm306/NRAllstocks/Biobarrierbeforeafter.jpg[/IMG] Enjoy, NR. [/QB][/QUOTE]
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