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Where Humans Fear to Tread
Do Mars Landers Pray?
The Moment of Truth
Phoenix Opens Its Eyes and Settles in
Phoenix Gets a Checkup
National Pride, and a Message for the Future
A Glitch Leads to Radio Silence
Creaky Elbow Joints
Phoenix Stretches Out
Reach Out and Touch Dirt
![<p>On May 7th, a new message popped up on the micro-blogging website <a href="http://twitter.com/Marsphoenix">Twitter</a>. "Less than 20 days till I land on Mars!" it declared. </p><p>The <a href="http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/index.php">Mars Phoenix Lander</a> was announcing its approach to the Red Planet, and has kept up a steady stream of chatter since. It sends frequent updates about its activities, scientific objectives, and even its emotional state (channeled through a human brain at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena). </p><p>Like Ernest Shackleton's diary of his epic trek in Antarctica, Phoenix's blog posts tell a story of exploration and adventure to the home-bound masses. It's currently the <a href="http://www.twitterholic.com/">14th most popular</a> Twitter feed, surpassing such personalities as punk rock singer Henry Rollins and mommy-blogger Dooce. Here we give you selected quotes from Phoenix's journey from Mars orbit to the polar plain, in its own words--or "tweets." </p><p>Oh, and there could be other Martian diaries in the future. "MarsPhoenix is the first [to use Twitter]!" said Phoenix. "When I get there I'll tell the rovers to do it too :-)"</p>](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gallery/albums/Phoenix2/1twitter.jpg "Where Humans Fear to Tread")
![<p>Entry, descent and landing sequence for Sunday has been uploaded. Must do landing autonomously! Mission control can only watch and wait. </p><p>Navigation is looking good. Yay!! Team waived [sic] off tonight's opportunity for a flight path adjustment. May do one tomorrow am if needed. </p><p>I'm closing in on Mars! Who is going to sleep tonight? Not the team, too excited/scared/anxious seeing 5 years of work come to this last day.</p>](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gallery/albums/Phoenix2/2-cruise stage.jpg "Do Mars Landers Pray?")
![<p>Just in time for Memorial Day in the US. </p><p>Did you sign up to send your name to Mars? </p><p>[The Planetary Society <a href="http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/messages/phoenix_dvd.html">sent a DVD</a> containing the names of 250,000 earthlings to the Red Planet, for the perusal of future explorers or settlers.] </p><p>If you didn't sign up, don't worry. You can hitch a ride on the next mission to Mars. Name sign-ups for Mars Science Lab will start soon.</p>](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gallery/albums/Phoenix2/6-flag and CD.jpg "National Pride, and a Message for the Future")
![<p>Quiet day on Mars. Didn't hear from [Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter] this AM so I'll wait to hear from Odyssey tomorrow AM. Then, I'll start to "unstow" my 7.7 ft arm. </p><p>Didn't receive new commands today, so I carried out a pre-programmed sequence to gather data and send it home. New commands coming tomorrow. </p><p>The terrain around here is the same for miles in all directions. I'm going to dig into the terrain but not drive across it. </p><p>Most recent forecast: Max temp: -22F; Min Temp: -112 F. You can download a Mars <a href="http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/screen.php">weather widget</a> here.</p>](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gallery/albums/Phoenix2/7-landscape.jpg "A Glitch Leads to Radio Silence")
![<p>Team ecstatic over last night's image [of the mark left by Phoenix's arm]. From mission leader Peter Smith: "The mood was electric in ops center!" </p><p>More from Peter: "The majority opinion is we have uncovered ice about 4 to 6 inches underneath the soil... The picture is astounding."</p>](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gallery/albums/Phoenix2/10-touch dirt.jpg "Reach Out and Touch Dirt")
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