The Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP) for NASA's Phoenix
Mars Lander took measurements in Martian soil and in the air.
The needles on the end of the instrument were inserted into the Martian
soil, allowing TECP to measure the propagation of both thermal and
electrical energy. TECP also measured the humidity in the surrounding air.
The needles on the probe are 15 millimeters (0.6 inch) 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.
