Phoenix analyzes more Martian soil

PASADENA, Calif., July 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says its Phoenix Lander has used its robotic arm to deliver another sample of Martian soil for analysis by the spacecraft's laboratory.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientists said test results from the new sample will be compared in coming days with the results from the first Martian soil analyzed by the wet chemistry laboratory two weeks ago. That laboratory is part of Phoenix's Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer.

The Phoenix mission is led by Peter Smith of the University of Arizona with project management at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.