WASHINGTON (Thomson Financial) - The U.S. Mars Phoenix spacecraft landed in the frigid north pole region of Mars late Sunday after a risk-laden descent, NASA said.
'Phoenix has landed,' a NASA official said as the safe touchdown was confirmed.
Phoenix was the first spacecraft ever to land on the Martian arctic, where it will dig into the icy soil in search of signs of the conditions that might have made the area once habitable for forms of life.
After the landing, the $420 million spacecraft's radio was expected to go silent for 20 minutes to save its batteries, during which it would deploy its two solar antennas to generate power. tf.TFN-Europe_newsdesk@thomson.com afp/ejp COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Financial News Limited 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Thomson Financial News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Financial News.
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