Phoenix, Arizona- The scientists, staff and support crew of the cooperative Phoenix Mars Lander were cheerful on Friday, following the results of various scientific testing regarding materials found on Mars.
The Lander has now confirmed and offered, “Proof positive” that there are water molecules that are present on the surface of Mars. This has now been confirmed by a variety of different tests.
The liquid water molecules were touched, or virtually “tasted” by the Lander in samples of the Mars soil that has undergone a number of tests.
“We have water,” announced Scientist William Boyton of the University of Arizona.
Dr. Boyton is the lead scientist for the Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer, or “TEGA” portion of the cooperative Phoenix Mars Lander project.
The sampling and continuing testing completes one of the objectives that the Phoenix mission is working to complete.
Confirming that water does exist in soil found near the North Pole of Mars is an exciting concept that changes a great deal what we know about Mars before now.
The mission has been excitedly extended through September 30th, to allow the Lander to analyze different other soil samples found nearby, to see how extensive and to what about that water molecules are present.