KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The second stage of the Delta II launch vehicle for NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander is lifted up the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It will be moved into the tower and lowered for mating with the Delta's first stage. Phoenix is scheduled to launch Aug. 3. Phoenix will land in icy soils near the north polar permanent ice cap of Mars and explore the history of the water in these soils and any associated rocks, while monitoring polar climate. Landing on Mars is planned in May 2008 on arctic ground where a mission currently in orbit, Mars Odyssey, has detected high concentrations of ice just beneath the top layer of soil. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Location Kennedy Space Center, FL
Date June 28, 2007