NASA’s mission on Mars, which is being carried out with the help of the Phoenix Lander, reached a new high-point after the discovery of a highly reactive salt in the Martian soil, which managed to stir up quite a controversy on whether there is a possibility that the planet’s environment can sustain life, which is the mission’s main objective and the general public’s greatest interest.

The substance, identified as being perchlorate, is naturally found on Earth and it is used in the manufacturing of a large variety of products, including rocket fuel, fireworks, fertilizers and medicine.

All the debates at this point are linked to the discovery, with several different opinions about the chances of finding proof of life or at least a confirmation that the environment is conducive to life. Some believe that this is a definitive proof that there is no chance of finding any sort of living organism and that there never was; others believe that this clearly shows the similarities between the two planets and that it is only a matter of time before the searches turn up the wanted results; and finally, there are the people saying that the discovery does not necessarily mean anything important and that from this moment on, the issue remains unanswered and it could go either way.

Mr. Peter Smith, principal investigator on the Phoenix mission, explained that the identification of perchlorate is considered an important piece of the puzzle but at the same time it doesn’t offer any sort of answers, as the substance "in itself, it's neither good nor bad for life."

Asked about the Lander’s discovery, Richard Quinn of the NASA Ames Research Center, explained according to the Associated Press that it is a well known fact that microbes can easily be found in oxidizing conditions, so the possibility of finding such results on Mars should definitely not be left out. "The story possibly could turn out to be the same for Mars. We don't know yet," he said, as quoted by the AP.

The mission’s main objective, to find out if the planet was at any moment or is capable to sustain life, remains unanswered after more than 2 months of intense activities. In order to proceed with the tests without dealing with the stress of a tight schedule and provide reliable information, NASA decided on extending the mission with an additional five weeks and will await the Phoenix Mars Lander at the end of September.

Until its return to Earth, there are many more tests to be done, as the shuttle has been equipped with a large variety of instruments, including its robotic arm, ever so present in the news, the Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA) and the Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA). Each instrument brings a significant support in the analysis processes, which are designed to offer a detailed view at what the planet’s environment has to offer.

The 17 months of intense work are expected to answer a series of questions about Mars, queries that have been on people’s mind for many years.