 MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KCBS) -- A space probe sent to Mars to dig for signs of life is nearing the end of its nine-month voyage and should touch down on the Red Planet on schedule, NASA said Tuesday.
The Phoenix Mars Lander, which blasted off from Cape Canaveral last August, is on course to reach the planet on May 25, where it will attempt to make a hazardous descent onto the Martian surface.
The lander's assignment is to dig through the Martian soil and ice in the arctic region and use its onboard scientific instruments to analyze the samples it retrieves.
Phoenix is likely to face Martian temperatures that range from minus 99 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 27 F.
Many scientists see signs of ancient rivers and oceans on the arid and sterile surface of Mars, and believe the planet may once have harbored some forms of life.
Related Link
NASA Mars Exploration Program
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KCBS' Matt Bigler reports
