The Phoenix Lander seen from above
// May 27th, 2008 // No Comments » // flying
The image of the lander suspended by its parachute has been widely spread online and in the news but it wasn’t until I was browsing through the Phoenix website that I saw the raw image with Mars in the background. (Click the image for the full view.) It is a spectacular view especially imagining the precision it must have taken to get it lined up. It’s hard enough getting several people to smile at the same time in a picture. The shot was taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as it passed overhead.
I have been impressed by NASA coverage of the lander so far. The two hours of live coverage during the “Entry, Descent and Landing” was captivating and informative (even though I watched it late via TIVO). A friend described it well in text during the coverage, “It is the most amazing real time planetary lander event I’ve ever seen from NASA!” I wrote back, “Don’t tell me who wins – Tivo’ing”
