The mission is aimed to find out if there are micro-organisms living on Mars. In 2002 NASA's Odyssey spacecraft found high hydrogen concentrations. This gave scientists and idea that the planet has ice under its desert surface. Scientists suggest that north and south poles are icy.
Phoenix is equipped with 8-foot robot that can dig 2 feet into soil. Astronauts will analyse substances to find out if there are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and other organic chemicals. Depending on the results scientist will be able to give answer of the question if there is life on Mars.
"We can detect organic materials. We can't tell if they are DNA or proteins, but we can tell if they are complex organics," said Peter Smith, Phoenix mission's chief scientist.
"There are a whole range of things you might expect from Mars," Smith said. "Organic material does not necessarily come from biology. It can also come from meteoritic impacts that have pockmarked the surface of Mars."
Phoenix will launch on August 3 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Phoenix’s Mars mission costs about $420 million. The spacecraft will travel about 423-million-miles and will be on the planet on May 25, 2008. HULIQ
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