Experiments prompted by a 2008 surprise from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suggest that soil examined by NASA's Viking Mars landers in 1976 may have contained carbon-based chemical building blocks of life.
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has ended operations after repeated attempts to contact the spacecraft were unsuccessful.
After a picture-perfect landing, the Phoenix Mars Lander returned unprecedented views and new findings from Mars’ north polar region.
The Mars Lander surpassed its original three-month mission, lasting five months in the Martian northern plains, digging up scientific "firsts" along the way.
› View This VideoAn audio recording and images from the August 5, 2008, media telecon.