NASA has extended its Phoenix Lander Mission up to the end of September. This followed the confirmation of the presence of water in Mars. The Lander started digging trenches into Martian soil after touching down near the planet's North Pole on May 25, revealing a white substance that scientists confirmed was ice in June1. Laboratory tests aboard NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander have identified water in a soil sample, following which the mission has been extended.

• 1. “Mission Extended As Phoenix Confirms Martian Water,” Mars Daily, August 01, 2008, at http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mission_Extended_As_Phoenix_Confirms_Ma...