NASA: Phoenix Mars mission ends

Source: Xinhua | 11-11-2008 14:35

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has ceased communications after operating for more than five months, the U.S. space agency reported on Monday.

A NASA handout image shows the Robotic Arm on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander with a sample of martian soil. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

As anticipated, seasonal decline in sunshine at the robot's arctic landing site is not providing enough sunlight for the solar arrays to collect the power necessary to charge batteries that operate the lander's instruments, NASA said in a statement.

Mission engineers last received a signal from the lander on Nov.2. Phoenix, in addition to shorter daylight, has encountered a dustier sky, more clouds and colder temperatures as the northern Mars summer approaches autumn.

The mission exceeded its planned operational life of three months to conduct and return science data. The project team will be listening carefully during the next few weeks to hear if Phoenix revives and phones home. However, engineers now believe that is unlikely because of the worsening weather conditions on Mars.