Phoenix Lander Descending to Mars

Image of crater with a small spacecraft and parachute in foreground.
April 14, 2019
CreditNASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Historical DateMay 25, 2008
PIA NumberPIA10705
Language
  • english

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter caught this image of Phoenix hanging from its parachute as it descended to the Martian surface in 2008.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera acquired this image of Phoenix hanging from its parachute as it descended to the Martian surface. Shown here is a 10 kilometer (6 mile) diameter crater informally called "Heimdall," and an improved full-resolution image of the parachute and lander. Although it appears that Phoenix is descending into the crater, it is actually about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) in front of the crater.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter.