Nasa’s Phoenix Mars Lander has finally ceased operations after attempts to contact the spacecraft were unsuccessful.
The decision was taken after images of the lander taken from Nasa’s Mars reconnaissance orbiter (MRO) showed signs of severe ice damage to its solar panels.
Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars exploration programme manager Fuk Li said the Phoenix spacecraft succeeded in its investigations and exceeded its planned lifetime.
“Although its work is finished, analysis of information from Phoenix’s science activities will continue for some time to come,” he said.
Nasa’s Mars Odyssey orbiter flew over the Phoenix landing site 61 times during a final attempt to communicate with the lander, however, no transmission was detected.
Phoenix was not designed to survive the dark, cold, icy winter, however, Nasa carried out three listening campaigns earlier in the year to confirm that the lander is non-operational.
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