As autumn weather conditions deteriorate and temperatures fall, the Phoenix Mars Lander uses more power than it generates, so it’s only a matter of time before the robot explorer will expire.  It’s a real tribute to the engineering teams how well this spacecraft has exceeded it’s intended capacity for scientific exploration.

It’s no wonder the lander is starting to shut down.  The weather conditions on planet Mars in the northern hemisphere are pretty fierce, and getting more extreme as the planet shifts into it’s autumn phase.  Huge dust storms and atmospheric ice clouds block out sunlight to solar panels that generate power to spacecraft.  Extreme temperatures range from -141 degrees (F) overnight to -50 degrees (F) during the day.

NASA The Latest from Mars www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars

NEWS RELEASE #2008-063 dated April 16, 2008:
NASA Statement on Student Asteroid Calculations

PASADENA, Calif. — The Near-Earth Object Program Office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., has not changed its current estimates for the very low probability (1 in 45,000) of an Earth impact by the asteroid Apophis in 2036.

Contrary to recent press reports, NASA offices involved in near-Earth object research were not contacted and have had no correspondence with a young German student, who claims the Apophis impact probability is far higher than the current estimate.

This student’s conclusion reportedly is based on the possibility of a collision with an artificial satellite during the asteroid’s close approach in April 2029. However, the asteroid will not pass near the main belt of geosynchronous satellites in 2029, and the chance of a collision with a satellite is exceedingly remote.

Therefore, consideration of this satellite collision scenario does not affect the current impact probability estimate for Apophis, which remains at 1 in 45,000.

NASA detects and tracks asteroids and comets passing close to Earth. The Near Earth Object Observation Program, commonly called “Spaceguard,” discovers, characterizes and computes trajectories for these objects to determine if any could be potentially hazardous to our planet.

For more information:
Near Earth Object Observation Program http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov
NASA www.nasa.gov

Other Sources:
www.livescience.com

www.earthsky.org

www.astronomy.com

www.planetary.org