"What's important is that the longer liquid water existed on Mars, the longer the window during which Mars may have supported life," Milliken said. Also this week, NASA said it is powering down science instruments and heaters on its Phoenix lander, which has been analyzing ice and soil samples from the planet's northern polar region. With the Martian summer in retreat, energy to run the solar-powered chemistry lab is running low. "If we did nothing, it wouldn't be long before the power needed to operate the spacecraft would exceed the amount of power it generates on a daily basis," said project manager Barry Goldstein with JPL. "By turning off some heaters and instruments, we can extend the life of the lander by several weeks." Phoenix landed five months ago to determine if Mars had the right ingredients to support life. Related Links: |
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