Mars soil finally reaches Phoenix oven
Posted: Thu, Jun 12, 2008, 7:11 AM ET (1111 GMT)
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander spacecraft was finally able to shake enough soil from a sample collected last week to fill an experiment oven within the spacecraft, project scientists said Wednesday. The soil sample was delivered to a screen covering one of eight sample ovens on Phoenix on Friday; the screen is designed to allow only fine grains of soil through to the experiment. However, the clumpiness of the soil prevented any grains from passing through the screen. After several periods of vibrating the screen, scientists said that the oven finally filled with material on Wednesday. The ovens will heat the soil to look for water and other volatile components.
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander spacecraft was finally able to shake enough soil from a sample collected last week to fill an experiment oven within the spacecraft, project scientists said Wednesday. The soil sample was delivered to a screen covering one of eight sample ovens on Phoenix on Friday; the screen is designed to allow only fine grains of soil through to the experiment. However, the clumpiness of the soil prevented any grains from passing through the screen. After several periods of vibrating the screen, scientists said that the oven finally filled with material on Wednesday. The ovens will heat the soil to look for water and other volatile components.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, June 9
Irish company secures €1 million contract with European Space Agency
Irish Times — 5:52 am ET (0952 GMT) USSF Seeking Small, Medium-Launch Providers At Vandenberg
Aviation Week — 5:49 am ET (0949 GMT) Virgin Galactic’s Shares Take Wild Ride
Orange County (CA) Business Journal — 5:47 am ET (0947 GMT) How Elon Musk’s Friendship With the F.C.C. Smooths the Way for SpaceX’s I.P.O.
New York Times — 5:46 am ET (0946 GMT) SpaceX IPO Is Well Oversubscribed With $10 Billion Orders
Bloomberg News — 5:45 am ET (0945 GMT) |
