[X] My Assistant

[tuvas]

Just found this space.com blog entry, sounds interesting.

http://www.livescience.com/blogs/author/leonarddavid/

The May 25th entry into Mars’ atmosphere by the Phoenix lander may be under the watchful lens of NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

The MRO project has been investigating the possibility of imaging the Phoenix Mars lander during its entry, descent and landing period - as the probe plunges toward the red planet’s arctic region.

MRO would use its High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) gear in attempting to catch the Phoenix in action as it high-dives to its touchdown site.

“The attempt requires that Phoenix be in the HiRISE field of view at the very moment that it temporarily crosses Phoenix’s path,” James Erickson, MRO Project Manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory told me.

There's more, but this should be enough to wet your appetite.

[simonbp]

The press release shows MO lined up too, but I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere that THEMIS will be imaging entry (probably beyond resolution), so presumably it's just there as a relay?

Simon