Scientist: Salt in Mars soil not bad for life

" LOS ANGELES – Traces of a rocket fuel ingredient found in the Martian soil would not necessarily hinder potential life, mission scientists said Tuesday.NASA’s Phoenix spacecraft earlier this summer detected the chemical perchlorate, a highly oxidizing salt, in...

Lander grabs Mars water, will see if it's life-supporting

"(CNN) -- The Phoenix lander got its robotic arm onto a sample of water ice from Mars' surface and popped the ice into tiny, onboard "ovens" that will help determine if the water could support life, NASA researchers said Thursday. ...

Lump spotted on Mars might be ice - or stone

"Less than a week after landing safely on a cold, sunny patch of far northern Mars, NASA's Phoenix lander is at work and one of its cameras, scientist said Friday, has already detected a lump of ice - or maybe only a little Martian rock.Either way, the Phoenix will begin...

Mars lander completes first day on Red Planet

" TUCSON, Ariz. - Fresh images sent back by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander during its first full day operating in the Martian northern polar region showed most of its science instruments in good health, mission scientists said."

Radar map peels back secrets of Martian north pole

"Washington (ANTARA News/afp) - A radar map of the Martian north pole reveals a four-layer ice structure laid down over a period of five million years, on top of sedimentary rocks hundreds of kilometers thick, scientists said Thursday in a report.The data provided by NASA's...