High spirits as mission to Mars touches down

SCIENTISTS are a step closer to discovering if there is life on Mars after stunning images of the red planet were beamed back to Earth.

The black-and-white pictures showed a panoramic view of the barren, rock-strewn Martian landscape surrounding the Spirit lander, which touched down at the windswept centre of the Gusev crater early yesterday morning.

The robotic explorer made a safe landing in what NASA scientists said could be a dry lake bed ideal for finding signs of life.

"It's a place almost tailor-made for our vehicle," Mars Exploration Rover chief mission investigator Steve Squyres said. "It's a glorious crater. We have hit what the science team believes is the scientific sweet spot."

The pictures, taken at mid-afternoon Mars time, show a vast expanse of what appears to be desert extending to the horizon in every direction. The scientists were intrigued by dust-filled hollows they said may be one of the rover's first stops. They also were trying to gauge the distance to a series of ridges.

"The images are outstanding," Mars Exploration Rover science manager John Callas said as the pictures from Spirit began to appear on a giant screen at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"The quality is the best that have been taken. This is incredible." The pictures captured Mars for the first time in stereoscope offering unprecedented depth of field that will allow NASA to more accurately pinpoint areas of exploration.

Just prior to receiving the images, NASA announced that the robot was in "safe mode" after completing several post-landing tasks deflating air cushions that buffered its landing, opening the cone that housed it and deploying solar panels to protect it from frigid Martian temperatures.

Scientists literally jumped for joy when they heard a signal relayed by the Mars Global Surveyor satellite indicating that Spirit had survived its landing.

The space probe plunged through the fiery Martian atmosphere for six minutes, then bounced along the planet's rocky surface, shortly after 4.30am.

About 20 minutes later mission control erupted in cheers, hugs and tears when a signal from the craft indicated it was still functioning.

"We're on Mars. It's an absolutely incredible accomplishment," said NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, whose family is from Fermoy, Co Cork.

NASA scientists will spend the next few days preparing the Spirit explorer to start moving about Mars, and acquiring additional images of the area where it landed.