This final entry is one that I asked be posted after my mission team announces they’ve lost contact with me. Today is that day and I must say good-bye, but I do it in triumph and not in grief.
As I’ve said before, there’s no other place I’d rather be than here. My mission lasted five months instead of three, and I’m content knowing that I worked hard and accomplished great things during that time. My work here is done, but I leave behind a legacy of images and data.
The Martian winter produces insufficient sunlight to recharge the lander's solar batteries. NASA will continue to update the Phoenix Twitter feed as the data sent from Mars is interpreted. Link -via Digg
See some suggested epitaphs for Mars Phoenix at Wired. http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/11/marsphoenixs-tw.html
Also worth noting is the Twitter message from October 30th:
Take care of that beautiful blue marble out there in space, our home planet. I’ll be keeping an eye from here. Space exploration FTW!
I like that idea to incase the machine in a glass case. :)
Goodbye, my sweet Phoenix. We can only hope you live up to your name and rise from the ashes, so to speak. Man, I am in such a mood for cliches tonight.