Perchlorate Discovery by Phoenix Lander Does Not End Search for Life On Mars
“Right now, we don't know whether finding perchlorate is good news or bad news for possible life on Mars.”
- Peter Smith, Ph.D., Phoenix Lander Principal Investigator
This image shows the trench informally called “Snow White” where the perchlorate has been detected. This image was acquired by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Surface Stereo Imager on Sol 43, the 43rd Martian day after landing on July 8, 2008. Two samples were delivered to the Wet Chemistry Laboratory, which is part of Phoenix's Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA). The first sample was taken from the surface area just left of the trench and informally named “Rosy Red” It was delivered to the Wet Chemistry Laboratory on Sol 30 (June 25, 2008). The second sample, informally named “Sorceress” was taken from the center of the Snow White trench and delivered to the Wet Chemistry Laboratory on Sol 41 (July 6, 2008). Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona/Texas A&M.
August 5, 2008 Pasadena, California - Responding to the growing buzz on the internet about suppressed Mars Phoenix Lander data and the White House Science Adviser being briefed on a new and potentially disturbing discovery in the lander's soil analysis, today Phoenix mission scientists spoke and answered questions in an hour phone conference produced by NASA and JPL.
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