Phoenix - spring images, HiRISE views of Phoenix after the long, long winter Options

[Phil Stooke]

Doug just said in another thread that he was looking for Phoenix in the new images and couldn't find it. Well, I love a challenge. So here it is:

Close-up:

(REMOVED - SEE LATER POST)

Context:

(REMOVED - SEE LATER POST)

Note that map-projected HiRISE images at this latitude are in polar stereographic projection, not a cylindrical projection. North is at the left.

You might not believe this, but by blinking layers like Clyde Tombaugh I think I can match numerous points, not just the hardware.

EDIT: I was a bit off. Correct locations are shown below.

Phil

[djellison]

A signal from MPL is a very very unlikely scenario.

A signal from PHX is just an unlikely scenario.

The last HiRISE image of PHX was not the height of summer so we don't know how visible the chute, backshell and heatshield will be after the ice has fully retreated.

[Geert]

A signal from MPL is a very very unlikely scenario.

I didn't mean a (radio) signal, that would indeed be close to impossible. I meant chances of spotting any debris / wreckage from MPL.
As far as HiRise coverage of the MPL landing elips, these are all taken after at least one winter had passed, so if one winter is able to erase most of the traces of PHX then we can expect that the MPL parachute/backshell/heatshield will be equally difficult to spot (at least).

In order to make a convincing case of 'having found debris from MPL' you need to be able to show convincing signs not only of the lander-wreckage, but also of the heatshield, backshell, and parachutes (and all at correct distances from each other), otherwise you just don't have a case in my humble opinion. So the visibility of PHX hardware after one or two winters is a very good measure of what we can expect to see from any MPL debris on HiRise images.

[djellison]

so if one winter is able to erase most of the traces of PHX.

We don't know if it does or doesn't yet.