'Thunderbird' is go for a landing on plains of Mars
Published Date:
23 May 2008
THIS Thunderbirds-type spacecraft is preparing to land on the icy Arctic plains of Mars, where there may be evidence of life.
The craft, named Phoenix, will make the first powered descent to Mars since the Viking 2 mission in 1976.
Unlike previous landers, it will not bounce down on to the planet on a cluster of air bags. Instead, the American probe will brake its final descent by firing retro-rockets, slowing to just 5mph, before gently setting itself down on three legs.
The landing is scheduled for around 1am on Monday.
British scientists are contributing to the mission, which aims to ascertain whether conditions in this region of Mars are suitable for life.
The full article contains 125 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
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Last Updated:
22 May 2008 9:30 PM
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Source:
The Scotsman
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Location:
Edinburgh
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Related Topics:
Space science
