Phoenix Mars Lander, RIP

[sdelmonte]

With the advent of Martian winter, the Phoenix Mars Lander is no longer receiving enough sunlight to function, and has gone silent. The mission was slated to last three months and made it to five, and odds are that the analysis of all the data PML collected will go on for far longer.

Rest well, frozen lander. With any luck, there will be many surprises to emerge from your soil tests, and maybe someday we will even meet you on the red planet and bring you home.

Comments

[chaos-wrangler.livejournal.com]

It didn't seem clear from the article whether the lander could "wake up" when sunlight levels rise again. I wouldn't be surprised if it was too dinged up from random dust collisions, or if its software isn't set up for that, but it would be neat if it were possible.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

Sort of a sleeping beauty for machines.

[drcpunk.livejournal.com]

There's a song in there, I'm sure....

[drcpunk.livejournal.com]

RIP. Amen.