NASA's next explorer of our planetary neighbor is the Phoenix Mars lander.
After reaching the red planet about 10 months after launch, Phoenix's assignment is to
dig through the Martian soil and ice in the arctic region,
not only studying water but also looking for signs of life.
I'm Ron Mueller, NASA's Launch Services Program mission manager for Phoenix.
It's my job to make sure the Phoenix spacecraft and its Delta II launch vehicle come together for a successful liftoff.
Built in Colorado by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Phoenix arrived at
Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17.
From there, it was transported to the clean room at the
Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility for preflight testing.
Workers conducted final checkouts that included testing the heat shield separation –
conducting solar array deployment and lighting tests –
and compatibility testing with the Deep Space Network.
With tests completed, the spacecraft was installed on the upper-stage booster,
moved to the launch pad and mounted atop the Delta II rocket.
It might sound easy, but it takes a talented Launch Services Program team working
together behind the scenes to get missions like Phoenix off to a good start.