Phoenix Mars Lander Set for Launch
Set to launch next month, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander will probe the frozen soil on the planet's northern plains for clues of past life and the possibility of future life.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Set to launch next month, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander will probe the frozen soil on the planet's northern plains for clues of past life and the possibility of future life. The stationary vehicle will test Mars's frozen ice layer, which NASA expects to lie a few inches below the surface, to determine whether primitive microbes could live there. NASA announced this week that Phoenix (shown here being lowered into a vacuum chamber to simulate the rigors of spaceflight) is being prepared for a three-week launch window in August.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
