Phoenix Mars Lander mission to be extended, says CNN

CNN's SciTechBlog says the UA's Phoenix Mars Lander is sure to be further extended after the first extension runs out at the end of September.

The Lander is in the Martian arctic where the sun set for the first time in its mission on August 21, to rise again about half an hour later.

It's expected to continue operating until the Martian winter freezes it sometime in November.

[right, sunrise on Mars, August 25, 2008. Credit, NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University]