Photo: Phoenix Lander Touches Down Near Mars's North Pole

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On May 25, 2008, the Phoenix Mars lander successfully landed near the red planet's north pole. The first images from the lander show a footpad firmly planted on Martian permafrost (left) and fully deployed solar arrays (right).

In a few weeks the probe will begin collecting samples of soil and ice to try settle the debate over whether Mars might once have been habitable.

Image courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

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