Phoenix Launch Set For August 3 (7/29/2007)

The Phoenix spacecraft is uncovered inside the mobile service tower of Launch Pad 17-A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida (Photo: NASA/George Shelton)

Launch of NASA's Phoenix Mars lander is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 3, from Pad 17-A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There are two instantaneous launch times, 5:35:18 and 6:11:24 a.m. EDT. NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center is responsible for the launch of Phoenix aboard a Delta II rocket. United Launch Alliance is conducting the launch service for NASA. Should the launch be postponed 24 hours for any reason, the launch times are 5:26:31 and 6:02:55 a.m. EDT. For a 48-hour postponement, the launch times are 5:17:23 and 5:53:59 a.m. EDT.

The Phoenix spacecraft will land in the arctic region of Mars and attempt to answer questions such as: Can the Martian arctic support life? What is the history of water at the polar landing site? How is the Martian climate affected by polar seasonal change?

To answer these questions, Phoenix uses some of the most sophisticated and advanced technology ever sent to Mars. A robotic arm on the lander will dig through the soil to the water ice layer underneath, and deliver soil and ice samples to the mission's experiments. On the instrument deck are miniature ovens, a mass spectrometer, an atomic force microscope and a "chemistry lab in a box" to analyze the samples. Imaging systems will provide an unprecedented view of Mars. Also included is a weather station.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by the University of Arizona

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