This animation blinks between two images of our Mars Phoenix Lander. The first – dark smudges on the
This animation blinks between two images of our Mars Phoenix Lander. The first – dark smudges on the planet’s surface. The second – the same Martian terrain nearly a decade later, covered in dust. Our Mars orbiter captured this shot as it surveyed the planet from orbit: the first in 2008. The second: late 2017.In August 2008, Phoenix completed its three-month mission studying Martian ice, soil and atmosphere. The lander worked for two additional months before reduced sunlight caused energy to become insufficient to keep the lander functioning. The solar-powered robot was not designed to survive through the dark and cold conditions of a Martian arctic winter.Read the full story HERE.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of ArizonaMake sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com. -- source link
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