Edgy nerves for Mars probe landing

By Berni | May 23, 2008

May 23 – NASA scientists brace themselves for the nail-biting wait to see if their latest lander arrives in one piece on the surface of the red planet.

The Phoenix is the latest in a line of probes sent to look for signs of life on Mars, where safe landings for such equipment have less than a 50 per cent record of success.

Paul Chapman reports.

Edgy nerves for Mars probe

true/false

  1. The probe travels 117 million miles to Mars.
  2. The mission has ended in a heap of wreckage.
  3. The atmosphere around Mars is very thin.
  4. The probe uses a parachute to land on the surface.
  5. They have practised in Alaska.
  6. 15% of attempts to land on Mars have failed.
  7. In 2002 they found ice on Mars.
  8. There are habitable zones on Mars where water is found.
  9. There is life on Mars.
  10. The probe will land on Sunday.

check your answers

go to news archive

Home

 

 

Posted in Daily News Bulletins and tagged