Phoenix, the Mars Lander, is experiencing the trouble predicted by NASA back in September, when snow started to fall on the Red Planet. Phoenix is a solar-powered machine and as winter was approaching, scientists feared that the robot would simply shut down.

The Martian winter wouldn’t provide nearly enough solar energy for Phoenix to continue to operate. The low temperature is also a facture that prevents Phoenix from recharging. The energy usually used by Phoenix to operate at full capacity will be use in winter to keep Phoenix “warm” and “alive”, so it will regain its powers next summer. If Phoenix shuts down, it will freeze and all the signs indicate that once it gets encapsulated in ice, there is almost no chance for Phoenix to “wake up” when the weather gets warmer.

Recently, Phoenix stopped transmitting information back to Earth for a whole day. The information received before indicated that a dust storm combined with the cold, Martian winter weather had gotten the best of Phoenix. The Mars Lander surprised everyone back at home base when it made a recovery the next morning and started transmitting again. Unfortunately for both the Lander and science, its signal was quite weak, indicating that Phoenix had indeed sustained some damage. It seemed that his batteries were drained, and it wasn’t able to recharge them completely since then. The only energy its solar panels can now accumulate is enough for the Phoenix to power up every morning, but the power up causes the robot to lose all of the acquired energy. Phoenix has been doing quite well, especially if you consider that he has been on Mars since May. Winter, however, was not kind to the Mars Lander. The last message received from Phoenix was on November 2nd, and since then the machine has not reported back to Earth.

The purpose for which phoenix was launched into space was that researchers wanted to examine the arctic plains in the northern part of the planet Mars. The mission, which cost over $428 million, was intended to last for only three months. However, Phoenix was successful in its endeavors, prompting the researchers to prolong its mission not just once but two times. It almost seems like scientists wanted to see how much Phoenix can last on the bare and hostile environment and how useful it can be.
Phoenix has yet to disappoint.

The main objectives of its initial mission were all met by the robot. Some secondary goals, however, have unfortunately remained unachieved. Some samples were hard to stuff into Phoenix’s mobile laboratory: the soil samples had to be pushed through a grate, and the soil on Mars was oddly clumpy. On the bright side, Phoenix did discover that below the clumpy soil rests a layer of ice. Because the scientists also identified particles of carbonates and clays, it is suspected that the ice was once liquid water. Douglas McCuiston, director of the NASA Mars Exploration Program characterized the robot’s demise the best – “an Irish wake, not a funeral”.