The Robotic Arm of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander released a sample of
Martian soil onto a screened opening of the lander's Thermal and
Evolved-Gas Analyzer (TEGA) during the 12th Martian day, or sol, since
landing (June 6, 2008). TEGA did not confirm that any of the sample had
passed through the screen.
The Robotic Arm Camera took this image on Sol 12. Soil from the sample
delivery is visible on the sloped surface of TEGA, which has a series of
parallel doors. The two doors for the targeted cell of TEGA are the one
positioned vertically, at far right, and the one partially open just to
the left of that one. The soil between those two doors is resting on a
screen designed to let fine particles through while keeping bigger ones
€from clogging the interior of the instrument. Each door is about 10
centimeters (4 inches) long.
The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf
of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin
Space Systems, Denver.
