Viewpoint: Mars - what we've learnt in five years
Found on BBC News on Sunday, 26 May 2013
Five years ago today, the Phoenix Lander started its descent towards the northern plains of Mars. I was following the live feed from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the Phoenix Science Operations Center in Arizona.
Perhaps the highest profile achievement of Phoenix was to dig down to a buried layer of ice just below the Martian surface. I was the scientist on watch who first recognised that the "white stuff" Phoenix was digging up was slowly disappearing.
If Curiosity, or any other mission, does find signs that there was once, long ago, life on Mars, Phoenix will at least deserve a nod for showing where to direct the search.
Maybe there should be life on Mars again. There has been discussions about a one-way mission which brings a couple of astronauts to the red planet. Volunteers are out there, so at least that problem does not exist.