Phoenix is incrementally powered down

PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says it hopes to extend its Phoenix Mars Lander's mission by gradually shutting down some of the spacecraft's instruments and heaters.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said its engineers are "in a race against time and the elements" as Mars winter approaches and the lander generates less power due to fewer hours of sunlight reaching its solar panels. At the same time, the spacecraft is requiring more power to run several survival heaters that allow it to operate as temperatures decline.

"If we did nothing, it wouldn't be long before the power needed to operate the spacecraft would exceed the amount of power it generates on a daily basis," said Phoenix Project Manager Barry Goldstein at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "By turning off some heaters and instruments, we can extend the life of the lander by several weeks and still conduct some science."

In the final step, Phoenix will have only one heater to warm the spacecraft and its batteries. That heater will eventually run out on its own.

"At that point, Phoenix will be at the mercy of Mars," said Chris Lewicki of JPL, the lead mission manger.