NASA hears nothing from Mars Phoenix rover

22.01.2010
So far it looks like the that NASA’s is still alive is -- .

The said today that its Mars Odyssey orbiter flew over the lander 11 times between Jan. 19 and 20, without hearing anything from Phoenix. Nineteen more listening overflights are planned this month and more in February and March.

The attempts are being made because of what NASA calls the unlikely scenario that Phoenix survived Martian arctic winter conditions the spacecraft was never designed to withstand.

If the lander did show signs of life, it would follow instructions programmed on its computer. If systems still operate, once its solar panels generate enough electricity to establish a positive energy balance, the lander would periodically try to communicate with any available Mars relay orbiters in an attempt to reestablish contact with Earth. During each try, the lander would alternately use each of its two radios and each of its two antennas, NASA stated.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is monitoring the craft, said the Phoenix site is seeing about the same amount of sunshine as when the lander was last heard from, on Nov. 2, 2008, with the Sun above the horizon about 17 hours each day.