via Space.com, NASA's latest mission to Mars, the Phoenix Lander, launched Saturday.
"A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket blasted Phoenix into space at 5:26:34 a.m. EDT (0926:34 GMT), leaving a ghostly contrail of exhaust as the spacecraft left Earth behind. The lander is due to land on the flat arctic plains near Mars' north pole on May 25, 2008."
The purpose of the mission is to take soil samples of the Martian surface and test them for signs of present or past life. Many of the instruments were designed from the earlier Mars Polar Lander mission which crashed into the planet due to a programming error. The probe is already almost to top speed on its mission and should already be outside the Moon's orbit.
Monday, August 06, 2007
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Phoenix Mission's unfavorable Calculation?
What a pity, as the launch date was subjected to the timing of the weather pattern, instead of the influence and effect of the solar system pattern. Accordingly, by Kerry her research "indicates quick, sudden and unexpected losses that have destroyed earlier missions".
Question 1) Why shouldn't costly projects in the multi millions at least consider the solar system patterns and not just the weather pattern upon launch?
Question 2) Is the launching of the spacecraft more important than the whole complete mission success? It just seems premature to conclude that a weather pattern here on Earth should determine the outcome of the voyage out in space going to the planet Mars! I would think the weather on Mars would also have an effect. Kerry's research takes this into account and not just the patch of blue sky over Florida.
Her blog: http://kerrytheory.blogspot.com
Her Website: http://kerrytheory.info
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