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Martian Arctic Says Cheese

NASA sees what it expected to see

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted May 26, 2008 1:39 PM CDT

(Newser) – The Mars Phoenix Lander is sending NASA the first photos of the red planet's northern polar region, CNN reports. On its 3-month mission, the lander will “taste and sniff the northern polar site’s soil and ice,” the agency said. The photos show brown polygons checkering the landscape as far as the eye can see.

"It's surprisingly close to what we expected and that's what surprises me most," said the mission's principal investigator. "I expected a bigger surprise."

Peter Smith principal Investigator, University of Arizona speaks behind a model of the Phoenix Mars lander during a news conference, May 25, 2008. In the background is a color image of Mars' surface.
Peter Smith principal Investigator, University of Arizona speaks behind a model of the Phoenix Mars lander during a news conference, May 25, 2008. In the background is a color image of Mars' surface.   (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
This image provided by NASA, JPL-Caltech and the University of Arizona shows a portion of the Phoenix Mars Lander and the Martian surface after it landed on the planet on Sunday, May 25, 2008.
This image provided by NASA, JPL-Caltech and the University of Arizona shows a portion of the Phoenix Mars Lander and the Martian surface after it landed on the planet on Sunday, May 25, 2008.   (AP Photo)
This image provided by NASA, JPL-Caltech and the University of Arizona shows a portion of the Phoenix Mars Lander after it landed on Mars on Sunday, May 25, 2008.
This image provided by NASA, JPL-Caltech and the University of Arizona shows a portion of the Phoenix Mars Lander after it landed on Mars on Sunday, May 25, 2008.   (AP Photo)
This image provided by NASA, JPL-Caltech and the University of Arizona shows a portion of the Martian landscape seen from the Phoenix Mars Lander after it landed on the planet on Sunday, May 25, 2008.
This image provided by NASA, JPL-Caltech and the University of Arizona shows a portion of the Martian landscape seen from the Phoenix Mars Lander after it landed on the planet on Sunday, May 25, 2008.   (AP Photo)
Ed Sedivy, right, and Doug McCuiston point at pictures in the control room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
Ed Sedivy, right, and Doug McCuiston point at pictures in the control room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.   (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, Pool)
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