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Phoenix Mars Landing: Nerves and Joy

Jun 11, 2008
Mission control highlights while Phoenix landed on Mars, interspersed with spacecraft animation.

Transcript:

(music)

The Challenges of Getting to Mars

Landing Day: Nerves and Joy

Atmospheric entry on my mark...

five...

...four...

...three...

...two...

...one...

...mark.

(intense burning sound)

Expected peak heating rate in one minute, forty seconds.

Standing by for possible plasma blackout.

Phoenix now one minute past entry point, we still have a signal via direct by Odyssey.

At this point in time, Phoenix goes normally through peak heating.

(intense burning sound)

Phoenix now two minutes and twenty-five seconds past the entry point.

we still have a signal via Odyssey.

Standing by for reacquisition via Direct to Earth.

Stop of Odyssey canister data and switch to 32k...in ten seconds.

Standing by for expected parachute deployment.

(cheering)

Parachute deployment trigger detected.

Heat shield trigger detected.

Ground level velocity: ninety meters per second!

(cheering)

(metal clangs)

Lander leg deployment trigger detected.

Ground level velocity: sixty meters per second...

Standing by for altitude convergence.

At this point in time, Phoenix would have normally reached altitude convergence...

...standing by for confirmation via telemetry.

Radar reliable!

(cheers)

Altitude: two thousand meters.

Altitude convergence detected.

Altitude: eighteen hundred meters...

...seventeen hundred meters...

...sixteen hundred meters...

...standing by for lander separation.

Altitude: eleven hundred meters.

Signal may drop out during lander separation.

Altitude: one thousand meters.

(loud bang)

(rocket thruster sound)

Lander separation detected, we have reacquired the signal...

...gravity turn detected! (cheering)

Altitude: six hundred meters!...

...five hundred meters!...

(rocket thruster sound)

...four hundred meters!...

...two hundred fifty meters!...

...one hundred fifty meters!...

...one hundred meters!...

(rocket thruster sound)

...eighty meters!...

...sixty meters!...

Come on!

Constant velocity phase detected! Altitude: forty meters!...

...thirty meters!...

...twenty-seven meters!...

...twenty meters!...

...fifteen meters, standing by for touchdown!

(impact hit)

Touchdown signal detected! (wild cheers)

Lander...lander init. sequence initiated!

Helium vent detected!

(loud cheering)

Phoenix has landed! Phoenix has landed! (loud cheering)

Welcome to the north polar region of Mars! (loud cheering)

(music, cheering)

Radio signals received at 4:53:44 p.m. Pacific Time confirmed the Phoenix Mars Lander had landed safely in the Northern Polar region of Mars.

Two hours later, the first images from Phoenix were received.

(clapping, cheering)

(loud cheering)

(music)

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