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nasa spacecraft successfully lands

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PlusNASA Spacecraft Successfully Lands on MarsNASA Spacecraft Successfully Lands on MarsThe Associated PressNASA's Phoenix spacecraft has successfully landed near Mars' north pole for a 90-day digging mission. Mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory celebrated after the Phoenix signaled back that it had survived Sunday's fiery entry. (May 25)[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] ((NATS: Phoenix has landed)) NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has touched down on the Red Planet.The robotic craft sent a signal back to mission control in California after a nail-biting seven minute plunge.((Barry Goldstein/Project Manager: In my dreams it couldn't have gone as perfectly as it did tonight. It went right down the middle. We're on the surface. We had a minute worth of data after touch down.))At a speed of 12 thousand miles per hour and with its shields protecting it from intense heat...Phoenix made its way through the thin atmosphere on Mars.The craft was designed to dig into the icy soil near the planet's North Pole. Its mission-- determine if the frosty surface could have supported primitive life.Phoenix will remain on Mars for the next 90 days.