Spaceflight Now | Delta Launch Report | Photo gallery: Delta rocket launches Mars lander

Destination Mars

		Mission: Phoenix lander Launch: Aug. 4, 2007 Launch times: 5:26 and 6:02 a.m. EDT Site: Pad 17A, Cape Canaveral AFS, Florida Rocket: Delta 2 (7925) Landing: May 25, 2008 Preview story Mission Status Center Daily launch windows Launch events timeline Ground track map Phoenix science goals Phoenix instruments Delta 2 rocket info The pre-launch flow Launch Complex 17 Our Delta archive

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		Premium video content for our Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers. Launch of Phoenix The Phoenix lander bound for the northern plains of Mars is launched atop a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral. Full coverage Phoenix animation Project officials narrate animation of Phoenix's launch from Earth, arrival at Mars, touchdown using landing rockets and the craft's robot arm and science gear in action. Play Phoenix to the pad The Phoenix lander bound for Mars is hauled to Cape Canaveral's pad 17A on July 23 for installation atop the Delta 2 rocket that will propel the craft on its cruise from Earth to Mars. Part 1 \| Part 2 Dawn waits for date The Dawn spacecraft is returned to a processing facility to await a new launch date. The mission was delayed from July to September, prompting the craft's removal from the Delta rocket at pad 17B. Part 1 \| Part 2 Become a subscriber More video

Photo gallery: Delta rocket launches Mars lander

NASA's Phoenix spacecraft departs Earth atop a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket at 5:26 a.m. August 4 to begin a 10-month interplanetary cruise to Mars.

Phoenix is headed for the arctic plains of the Red Planet where it will touch down using small rocket engines on May 25, 2008. Equipped with an 8-foot robotic arm, Phoenix will dig up samples of the surrounding soil and water ice for examination within instruments on the lander's science deck.

Credit: NASA

The remnant exhaust cloud from the launch is illuminated at sunrise.
Larger version here
Credit: Chris Miller/Spaceflight Now

Pad 17A stands empty following successful launch.
Credit: Chris Miller/Spaceflight Now

Credit: Chris Miller/Spaceflight Now

Video coverage for subscribers only:
VIDEO: PHOENIX LAUNCHES! PLAY
VIDEO: POST-FLIGHT COMMENTS FROM LAUNCH MANAGER PLAY
VIDEO: WIDE-SCREEN FROM PATRICK AFB CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO: TRACKER FOLLOWS ROCKET TO MECO PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH AS SEEN FROM THE PRESS SITE PLAY
VIDEO: PAD'S MOBILE GANTRY ROLLED BACK FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED HIGHLIGHTS OF PHOENIX CAMPAIGN PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED HIGHLIGHTS OF ROCKET CAMPAIGN PLAY
VIDEO: THE PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF PHOENIX MISSION TO MARS PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATION OF PHOENIX WITH NARRATION PLAY
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