images

Mars : Phoenix spacecraft seen from MRO spacecraft

by

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona/Novapix

Reference

a-mar11-00040

Date

2008-05-29

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera acquired this image of Phoenix hanging from its parachute as it descended to the Martian surface. Shown here is a 10 kilometer (6 mile) diameter crater informally called "Heimdall," and an improved full-resolution image of the parachute and lander. Although it appears that Phoenix is descending into the crater, it is actually about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) in front of the crater.