Phoenix Spacecraft Beams Home First Images of Mars Options

[usr.c]

From Space.com: "NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has returned its first images from the surface of Mars, showing that the probe's vital solar arrays have successfully deployed and giving scientists their first up-close glimpse of the Martian arctic surface.

Phoenix landed in a northern polar region of Mars called Vastitas Borealis late Sunday, with mission controllers here at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) receiving their first signals from the spacecraft at about 7:53 p.m. EDT (2353 GMT).

The first image Phoenix was instructed to take was of its solar arrays so that engineers could make sure the craft was getting power. The batteries Phoenix flew in on have only enough power to last about 30 hours, which would have significantly hampered the lander's abilities to perform its planned three-month mission."

View full article, video simulation of landing, pictures (Space.com)

[amir]

if the batteries don't last long enough, does the manufacturer's return policy cover shipping costs from mars?
avoid surprises! always read the return policy first.
(tip of the day, provided by CyberiaPC.com)

[usr.c]

Section 5.2.3.1: The manufacturer cannot guarantee that the supplied units will operate as described on the box if they are used in extreme conditions, or, say, on another planet.