What launch vehicle does NASA use to carry Phoenix?

Phoenix Mars probe successfully landed at the North Pole of Mars on May 25th, 2008 19: 53 (Beijing time on May 26th, 7: 53). Northern Canada, equivalent to the position of the earth. Phoenix was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA in August 2007 and flew 422 million miles to Mars. According to the plan, Phoenix will carry out a 90-day exploration mission on Mars, with the aim of exploring the unexplored Arctic region of the red planet. It is thought that there may be a lot of ice hidden under the surface. Phoenix lacks the tools to detect signs of extraterrestrial life, but it will study whether the ice has melted and look for traces of organic compounds in the permafrost of the Arctic to determine whether there has ever been life here.

They sailed in the vast universe.

New horizons, mission: Pluto, launch time: 65438+1October 65438+September 2006.

Which countries have successfully launched artificial satellites? more

The Soviet Union launched its first artificial earth satellite on 19571October 4. The United States successfully launched the "Explorer"-1 artificial satellite on1October 3/. France successfully launched the "experimental satellite"-1(A-L) on 19651October 26th. Japan successfully launched the artificial satellite Daewoo on February 1970+0 1. China successfully launched the artificial satellite "Dongfanghong" 1 on April 24th, 970. Britain successfully launched the artificial satellite "Prospero" on1October 28th, 197 165438.

Related terms:

Xichang satellite launch center space shuttle launch vehicle

Content arrangement: Guo Kui

Chinese name

Phoenix Mars probe

Target celestial body

launch

Attribution country

United States of America

launch time

Eastern time of the United States

carrier rocket

Delta 2 rocket

launching site

Kennedy Space Center 17A Launch Pad

catalogue

Design features of 1

7? 4 Development background

7? 4 structural design

2 task

3 naming features

4 after launch

Five related questions

6 Landing on Mars

7 new discoveries

8 first discovery

9 encounter disaster

Design features of American Phoenix Mars probe

Development background of American Phoenix Mars probe

The landing site of Phoenix is located in a vast shallow valley with the latitude equivalent to Greenland or northern Alaska. Unlike sister Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which bounced back to the landing site with airbags, this lander descended with recoil rockets, which can land in the predetermined position more accurately. This propulsion landing method is also more suitable for the landing of heavier spacecraft, and NASA needs to use this method to support possible human exploration of Mars. It is said that the success rate of Phoenix landing on the surface of Mars is not high. Historically, 55% of attempts to land on the surface of Mars ended in failure, and the landing method used by Phoenix has not been tried for 32 years. [ 1]

After the successful landing, Phoenix, which weighs about 772 pounds (about 350 kilograms), will wait 15 minutes. When the dust raised by the land settles, it will unfold the solar panels, raise the weather antenna mast and send the first photos of the surrounding environment back to the ground. In the next few days, Phoenix will inspect the instruments on board, and extend its mechanical arm to scoop up the first pile of Martian soil samples. A day on Mars is about 40 minutes longer than a day on Earth. Before the 10 Mars Day, Phoenix will enter the "excavation" stage, and it will spend two hours digging the soil every day, which is expected to occupy most of the time of this mission.

The design life of Phoenix is 90 days. Although scientists say that the service life of Phoenix may be extended by about one month, and it will continue to be seen in late summer or early autumn, its exploration time on Mars will never be as long as that of Spirit and Opportunity. This is because the solar panels on Phoenix can't generate enough energy to spend the winter on Mars. Avison said: "Its three feet will be deeply embedded in the ground, covered with dry ice, and the sun will be below the horizon." The implication is that Phoenix can't get a lot of energy through solar panels.

According to the plan, Phoenix arrived in Mars after a flight of 10 months and set off in the northern plain of Mars.

Schematic diagram after landing

It is a three-month exploration activity. If the mission is a complete success, it will be the first time in the 30 years since the pirate mission that robots have drilled holes below the surface of Mars. After landing, Phoenix will heat Martian soil samples in its micro furnace to study their chemical composition. Dr. peter smith, the chief scientist of Phoenix in mission to mars and the University of Arizona, said that Phoenix could detect the existence of organic matter, but it could not judge whether there was DNA or protein in it.

Phoenix landed at the North Pole because previous exploration had found evidence of frozen water lurking under the surface of Mars. Some scientists believe that the shallows about 30 miles wide on Mars may be left over from ancient oceans. However, Phoenix will look for evidence that liquid water existed for 654.38 million+years. Now, there is no liquid water on the dry surface of Mars. Phoenix's mission is to detect whether the underground ice has melted and created a more humid environment.

Scientists generally believe that melting ice water, organic matter and stable heat source are the three major elements of life. In order to prevent Phoenix from inadvertently bringing earth's organic matter to Mars, technicians must be more careful when preparing to launch the probe. Phoenix has undergone dry heat treatment and precise cleaning to minimize the number of microorganisms on its surface. In addition, as one of the measures to prevent pollution, its mechanical arm is also sealed with special materials.

Structural design of American Phoenix Mars probe

Before carrying out the exploration mission, the "Phoenix" rover must be full of dust.

Landing map

The surface of Mars has successfully landed, and Mars has always been famous for devouring artificial detectors. Countries have sent 15 probes to Mars, but so far only five have landed successfully.

Phoenix has a unique design. It is supported by three legs. Its mechanical arm is 20 feet long. It is made of aluminum and titanium. It works like a backhoe. It can dig a 20-inch-deep trench on Mars with a shovel, and then rotate it to take out soil samples. Although Phoenix lacks tools to detect the past or present life forms of Mars, scientists still hope that it can uncover the mystery of whether there are signs suitable for microbial survival in the Arctic Circle of Mars.

The cost is only half that of dual detectors.

Phoenix probe is the first mission of NASA's reconnaissance plan, which is to study Mars with a small space probe. Phoenix, managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, cost $420 million, almost half of the $820 million spent by Opportunity and Spirit. The two probes were launched in 2003 and are still roaming on Mars.

The name of "Phoenix" probe has a special meaning, and NASA hopes that it can be reborn like a phoenix on the basis of previous mission failures. Phoenix was originally planned to fly to the red planet as a Mars Odyssey probe in 200 1 year, but it was cancelled in 1999 for fear that the launch schedule was too tight, and the Mars Odyssey probe finally went to Mars alone.

After the main task is completed, it will become a weather station.

Man's exploration of Mars has not been smooth sailing. The Mars Climate Detector launched in 1998 was burnt to ashes when it approached Mars due to the measurement unit error made by Lockheed Martin and NASA. The following year, when the "Mars Polar Lander" launched by NASA landed at the South Pole of Mars, its whereabouts were unknown due to the early shutdown of the rocket engine. The remains of these two detectors have not been found so far.

The Phoenix probe made by Lockheed Martin carries some scientific instruments similar to those carried by the polar lander of Mars. According to Barry Goldstein, the project director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, engineers have conducted rigorous tests on Phoenix in the past four years, "to eliminate all possible failures of this system in advance." If Phoenix can successfully complete its main exploration mission and survive, it will become a weather station to collect data about the atmosphere of Mars.

Phoenix probe is a platform supported by three legs, with a diameter of 1.5m and a height of about 2.2m Its center is a polyhedral instrument cabin, and an octagonal solar array with a span of 5.52m is arranged on the left and right sides of the cabin. Compared with Mars polar lander, the biggest change of Phoenix probe is to improve the performance of solar cells. Phoenix probe carries seven kinds of scientific instruments, which are dubbed by NASA staff as seven "secret weapons" to explore the source of life on Mars, namely:

(1) manipulator (RA)

It is the most important equipment on the Phoenix probe, which is used to excavate soil samples on the surface and underground of Mars. It sends the excavated samples to the Micro Electrochemical and Conductivity Analyzer and the Thermal and Gas Analyzer carried by the lander for laboratory analysis.

The mechanical arm is 2.35 meters long and has four degrees of freedom. The end of the manipulator is equipped with a serrated blade and a corrugated cone, which can dig a deep pit of 1 m on the hard polar frozen soil surface. The robot arm can also adjust the direction of the camera installed on the robot arm and guide the detector used to measure the thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity of soil into the soil.

(2) Microelectrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA)

It is slightly improved on the basis of the instruments used in the "Mars Explorer" program, including wet chemistry laboratory, optical microscope, atomic force microscope and thermoelectric detector, which are used to detect the elemental composition of soil and photograph soil samples.

(3) heat and escape gas analyzer (TEGA)

It includes two parts: differential scanning calorimeter and mass spectrometer, which are used to observe and record the heat absorption and dissipation process of soil samples and analyze the volatiles released after heating.

(4) Surface stereo imager

It is used to draw high-resolution geological maps and manipulator operation area maps for multi-spectral analysis and atmospheric observation. It can take high-definition, color and three-dimensional images of the terrain at the landing position.

(5) Robot camera

It is installed on the shovel at the end of the mechanical arm, and is used to take high-resolution images of soil samples collected by the mechanical arm and analyze the types and sizes of soil particles.

(6) Mars descent imager

It is used to dynamically photograph the surface of Mars and survey the geological conditions near the landing site during the descent of Phoenix.

(7) Meteorological station (MS)

This is a new instrument specially developed by Canadian Space Agency for Phoenix lander. It consists of lidar and temperature and pressure measuring device, which can monitor the dust and temperature changes in the atmosphere of Mars and record the daily weather conditions in the North Pole of Mars.

American Phoenix Mars Exploration Mission

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August 4, 2007, 5: 26: 34.596 EDT (Beijing time

Simulation diagram of Phoenix soft landing using rocket propulsion

On August 4th, 17: 26, 34 seconds and 596 milliseconds, the American Mars lander Phoenix was launched by a Delta -2 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center 17A launch pad and began to fly to Mars.

"Ice Exploration" under the Surface of Mars

Phoenix landed in the permafrost of a plain in the Arctic Circle of Mars on May 25th, 2008. After that, it used seven kinds of instruments, such as advanced aluminum-titanium mechanical digging arm, to carry out "ice exploration" under the surface of Mars, to find new clues about the possible existence of some life form in the history of Mars, and to observe the climate cycle pattern of the Arctic of Mars and other explorations.

The design and exploration mission of Phoenix lasted for three months, and the whole project cost about 420 million US dollars. This is the first probe launched by NASA's low-cost Mars exploration program "Reconnaissance". If Phoenix successfully lands on Mars and launches exploration activities, it will be the first time that a human probe has extended its detection range to the surface of Mars since the Viking Mars probe drilled holes on Mars 30 years ago.

"Phoenix" is very different from the American Spirit and Opportunity rovers that have experienced sandstorms on Mars. The twin rovers landed on Mars in 2004 and roamed the surface of Mars near the equator, while Phoenix will take a "crouching position" at the North Pole of Mars and stay in one place.

Reveal the source of frozen water on Mars

Previous Mars exploration results show that this red planet is dry and barren, but it is far away.

Landing map

In ancient times, rivers and seas were probably everywhere. Scientists think that there may be some form of life on Mars.

In 2002, the American Odyssey probe found evidence of the existence of a large-scale frozen water layer north of 65 degrees north latitude of Mars. Phoenix is heading for this frozen water layer.

Scientists speculate that the frozen water layer may be the frozen residue of the ancient Martian ocean, or it may be formed by the diffusion of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere below the surface, or it may be left over after the ancient huge ice sheet subsided.

So far, the Mars probe launched by human beings has not found any traces of water on the arid surface of Mars. An important purpose of Phoenix Ice Exploration is to detect whether the underground ice in the polar regions of Mars is likely to melt and create a humid "underground environment".

Naming characteristics of American Phoenix Mars probe

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The landing probe was named "Phoenix", which means "reborn from the fire". In the introduction materials, NASA said that Phoenix was actually born out of a previous aborted Mars exploration project, and many of its components were reused and became the basic framework of Phoenix. In addition, the designers of Phoenix also borrowed and improved some designs of the Mars polar lander, whose whereabouts were unknown after 1999 landed on Mars. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that it hopes that Phoenix, which has been reborn on the basis of its predecessors, will live up to expectations and make more major new discoveries in Mars exploration.

After the launch of the American Phoenix Mars probe,

Key process

NASA launched the Phoenix Mars probe in August 2007. Phoenix will fly about 680 million kilometers and make a soft landing at the North Pole of Mars in May 2008. It will dig soil on Mars to find out whether the local environment is suitable for living. The following are the key steps after Phoenix is ignited and lifted off.

T-00 minutes and 00 seconds

launch

A main engine and two fine propellers of Delta -2 rocket of American Launch Alliance were just started before launch. Six ground-launched solid rocket engines were ignited at T-0, and the "Phoenix" Mars probe was launched.

T+0 1 min 03 sec 1

Ground star solid rocket motor combustion

The propellant of six ground-starting solid rocket motors produced by Aliente Technology System Co., Ltd. is exhausted and burned.

T+0 1 min 05 sec 5

Air start ground start ignition

The remaining three solid rocket engines bundled with the first stage of Delta -2 rocket were ignited.

T+0 1 min 06 sec 0

Discard the ground and start the solid rocket engine.

Six fuel-exhausted ground-launched solid rocket propulsion were divided into three groups and thrown into the Atlantic Ocean.

T+02min 1 1 sec 5

Discarding air to start solid rocket motor

After the fuel was exhausted, the solid rocket was launched in the three empty spaces that completed the mission and ejected in the Atlantic direction.

T+04 minutes 23 seconds 3

Main engine flameout

After consuming RP- 1 fuel and liquid oxygen, the main engine of the first stage of Rocketdyne RS-27A was shut down. The fine-tuning engine also died soon after.

T+04 minutes 3 1 sec 3

First stage rocket separation

Delta rockets have completed their tasks one by one, and now they are separating. It will fall into the Atlantic Ocean.

T+04 minutes 36 seconds 8

Secondary rocket ignition

After the first stage of the rocket was scrapped, the second stage of the Delta rocket took over the baton. Aerojet AJ10-118K liquid fuel propulsion engine was ignited and heated for the first time, which pushed the Phoenix probe to continue soaring.

T+05 minutes 03 seconds 0

Discard payload fairing

The 9.5-foot-diameter payload fairing installed on the Delta 2 rocket to protect the Phoenix probe split in half during the ascent.

T+09 minutes 20 seconds 5

The first ignition of the second stage rocket

The second stage engine was shut down after reaching the orbit of 86.4×96.5 nautical miles with an inclination of 28.5 degrees, and the first launch and ignition mission was completed. The Delta -2 rocket and the Phoenix probe attached to it are now in the taxiing stage before the second rocket is re-ignited.

T+73 minutes 47 seconds 2

The second stage rocket was restarted.

The second engine of Delta 2 rocket was ignited again, which accelerated the flight of payload.

T+76 minutes 02 seconds 3

The second flameout of the second stage rocket

After reaching the orbit of 87.7x 13, 128. 1 nautical mile with an inclination of 28.5 degrees, the second rocket completed its mission and was shut down. In the next minute, the micro thruster on one side of the Delta 2 rocket will be ignited, pushing Phoenix to prepare for separation from the second rocket.

T+77 minutes 05 seconds 5

Secondary rocket separation

The two-stage rocket propelled by liquid fuel is completely separated from the rest of the Delta-2 rocket.

T+77 minutes 42 seconds 8

Three-stage rocket ignition

Thiokol's Star -48B solid fuel three-stage engine ignited, driving the Phoenix probe out of Earth orbit.

T+79min10second 3

Three-stage rocket flameout

After all the liquid propellant was exhausted, the three rockets burned, and the power stage of the launch sequence of Phoenix probe was completed.

T+84min10second 3

Separation of Phoenix probe

NASA's Phoenix probe separated from three rockets and began to fly to the red planet for nine months.

Related problems of American Phoenix Mars probe

Question 2: What will Phoenix do?

A: In 2002, the American Odyssey probe found evidence of the existence of the frozen layer in the area north of 65 degrees north latitude of Mars. Scientists hope that Phoenix can help them see the true face of this frozen layer and analyze whether this frozen layer has ever melted into liquid water. In addition, with the help of Martian soil samples excavated by Phoenix, scientists can also analyze whether there are organic compounds in the soil. From the clues of water and organic compounds, scientists can further infer whether the historical environment of Mars is suitable for life.

Question 3: What's the difference between Phoenix and Mars?

A: Phoenix is supported by three legs and can't move. After landing, it will "squat" in the same place for exploration activities. The rover, as its name implies, is a kind of "car" that can be started around for detection.

Question 4: What's special about the landing mode of Phoenix?

A: American rovers Spirit and Opportunity used airbags for protection when landing on Mars.

Phoenix is being assembled and tested.

Guards, bounce on the surface of Mars and stop, then the airbag opens and the rover starts. "Phoenix" adopted a "soft landing" mode. When it enters the Martian atmosphere, its speed is greatly slowed down by friction with the atmosphere and parachute release, and its speed drops from 20,000 kilometers to 8 kilometers per hour. When it approached the ground, it slowed down further through the ignition and braking of the propeller, and finally landed firmly on the surface of Mars. This is also the second time since Viking 1 and Viking 2 landed on Mars in 1976, the United States successfully achieved the braking deceleration landing of the Mars probe.

1, Meet Phoenix

This picture shows Phoenix assembled and tested to see how Lockheed Martin's space system performs. Phoenix was born out of a previous aborted Mars probe project, and many of its components were reused to become the basic framework of Phoenix. On this basis, the designer also made some improvements.

2. Run to Mars

The American Phoenix Mars probe was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA on August 4, 2007 17: 26 Beijing time. After a long journey of 10 months, it finally came to Mars.

3. Mars landing site

The landing site of Phoenix on Mars is located in Tass-Burroughs, Wasti, which is farther north than the previous landing site of Mars.

4. Location of the landing site relative to the Earth

The landing site of Phoenix on Mars is located at the North Pole of Mars at 68 degrees north latitude and about 233 degrees east longitude. Relative to the earth,

This position is equivalent to the northern part of Canada on the earth, as shown in the figure.

Step 5 enter the Martian atmosphere

This computer-generated picture shows that the Phoenix Mars probe entered the atmosphere of Mars on May 26th, 2007.

6. parachute decelerates and descends

In order to slow down the landing of Phoenix on the surface of Mars, Phoenix deployed a huge parachute to slow it down.

7. Check the landing gear

When getting closer and closer to the landing surface of Mars, the Phoenix Mars lander threw away the heat shield to protect it from entering the atmosphere of Mars, and deployed three landing legs to land as scheduled.

8. Aim at the target position

This light and dark topographic map shows the target position of Phoenix landing on Mars and the surrounding terrain. Different colors represent different terrain. 20 14 Phoenix landed in the center of the ellipse on this map on May 26th, but it can also land in the largest ellipse to achieve a successful landing.

9. Brake The rocket starts to brake.

When the brake rocket engine started, NASA's Phoenix began to slow down further and reached the surface of Mars, and regained its balance to land on Mars safely.

10, ice station on Mars

This picture shows that after Phoenix landed on the surface of Mars, it deployed its life-and-death solar panels and a mechanical arm with a shovel at the top at the landing site.

New discovery of American Phoenix Mars probe

New Discovery of NASA

China news agency, Los Angeles, June 2 1 Sunday-Scientists of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States officially announced on the 20th that the luminescent substance dug up by the Phoenix Mars landing probe near the landing site is frozen water, thus confirming that there is indeed water on Mars. This is also the first time that humans have obtained frozen water samples outside the earth through detectors.

On June 15, 2008, the Phoenix probe discovered some shiny cubes while digging the red soil on the surface of Mars. In the sun, these small squares disappeared after four days.

"Today, I am proud and happy to announce that we have found evidence that these hard and bright substances are really frozen water and not other substances," peter smith, a scientist from the University of Arizona, said at a news conference in Tucson, Arizona.

It is reported that scientists have ruled out the possibility that these cubes are dry ice or salt. Because salt does not evaporate; Carbon dioxide needs a lower temperature to become a solid (dry ice). The temperature of Phoenix landing site is about-32℃ during the day and-80℃ at night. In the thin atmosphere of Mars, dry ice needs a lower temperature. Peter smith said that on Mars, the boiling point of water is only 4℃, and water will evaporate rapidly at extremely low temperature.

At the same time, NASA scientists revealed that the Phoenix robotic arm hit a hard surface during the excavation on June 19, 2008, and scientists judged that it was probably a bigger ice layer.

Scientists say that the truth they want to explore is not only to find water on Mars, but also to explore the minerals, chemical components and possible organic compounds on Mars.

The first discovery of the American Phoenix Mars probe

It snows on Mars.

China News Service, Los Angeles, September 29th, 2008-There is snow on Mars! The US Phoenix Mars probe detected the snowfall in the clouds of Mars and found the latest evidence that liquid water once existed on Mars.

On the same day, NASA announced the latest scientific achievements of the Phoenix Mars probe. A laser device on Phoenix that collects the interaction between the Martian atmosphere and the Martian surface has detected the snowfall on Mars. The snowfall came from the Martian cloud about 4 kilometers above the landing site of Phoenix. The data shows that the snowfall has evaporated before reaching the surface of Mars.

Jim Whiteway, a professor at York University in Canada who is in charge of the Phoenix meteorological detection system, said that the snow landscape on Mars has never been discovered, and scientists will look for snowfall that may land on the surface of Mars in the future.

In addition to the first discovery of snowfall, Phoenix also found clues about the existence of calcium carbonate and clay on Mars. Calcium carbonate is the main component of limestone. On earth, most carbonates and clays can only be formed by liquid water. The evidence comes from the Thermal and Emission Gas Analyzer (TEGA) and Electrochemical Conductivity Microscope Analyzer (MECA) on Phoenix.

The Martian soil samples collected by Phoenix were put into the "heat and emission gas analyzer" for heating, and colorless gas was released as a result. According to the mass spectrometer analysis, this gas is carbon dioxide, and the temperature of the released gas is the same as that of the well-known calcium carbonate. Through electrochemical conductance microanalyzer, it is found that the calcium concentration in soil samples is consistent with that in calcium carbonate buffer. In addition, through the analysis of atomic force microscope on Phoenix, there are some smooth particles in the soil, which are very similar to clay.

As of June 29th, the Phoenix Mars probe, which was originally planned to run for three months, has been in operation for 127 days. Due to the revolution of Mars, the solar radiation at the landing site of Phoenix is getting less and less. With the gradual attenuation of solar energy, the activity of Phoenix will gradually decrease. Scientists say that at the end of 10, the mechanical arm will stop working due to power shortage, and it is expected that Phoenix will stop running at the end of 2008. Before the energy runs out, scientists will try to turn on the microphone on Phoenix, hoping to record the mysterious sound from Mars.

The American Phoenix Mars probe suffered a disaster.

The disaster in phoenix

Why is the road to Mars so difficult?

First of all, the communication between the earth and Mars cannot be guaranteed. Mars and the earth are the closest twins, which is an astronomical concept. In fact, they are far away. Even the nearest distance is 55 million kilometers, and the two planets are still spinning, which makes it impossible for electromagnetic waves from the earth to be transmitted to the Mars spacecraft continuously, on time and stably. In addition, the instructions sent by scientists to the spacecraft through instruments (another kind of electromagnetic wave) will take five minutes to arrive, and what happened to the spacecraft on Mars will take five minutes to arrive, so scientists on earth will know. The problem of poor communication is not small. Fortunately, before Phoenix, the United States had sent several unmanned spacecraft to Mars. These brothers can help Phoenix send messages to the earth. Secondly, it is difficult to land. After the spacecraft flies into the atmosphere of Mars, it will encounter "black for 7 minutes". In other words, it takes about seven minutes for the spacecraft to fly into the atmosphere of Mars and land. However, in this short seven minutes, the spacecraft has to undergo a severe test: avoid being burned by the Martian atmosphere, accurately deploy the parachute in the Martian atmosphere, accurately start the braking rocket, ensure that the instruments on it are not broken, and ensure that the spacecraft does not fall. In addition, the atmospheric concentration of Mars is only 1% of the atmospheric concentration of the earth, so it is difficult to use the buoyancy of the air when the spacecraft lands! In the past, many Mars spacecraft landers failed in the landing process and crashed on Mars.

Phoenix was gradually "frozen to death"

On June 28, 2008, NASA announced that it would turn off the heaters on the Phoenix Mars lander one by one from that day to save energy and let Phoenix finish more work before the end of the mission. And this detector will also be "frozen to death" in the coming winter of Mars.

NASA said in a statement on June 28th, 2008: "As expected, the northern hemisphere of Mars is changing from summer to autumn. As the daylight becomes shorter, the time for solar panels to collect sunlight becomes less, and the power generation of detectors decreases. "

Goldstein, project manager of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said that if no measures are taken, the power consumption of Phoenix will exceed the power generation, and the work will be unsustainable.

On June 28th, 2008, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began to turn off the four heaters on Phoenix one by one. Without these heaters, the robotic arm on Phoenix will not be able to continue to be used. As Mars enters the severe winter, the signal of Phoenix will eventually disappear.