Phoenix Mars Lander

In August, the Phoenix Mars Lander mission (at the cost of $355 million) is expected to blast off to Mars. Unlike the twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity, Phoenix is a stationary platform with a robotic arm that will work on the planet's extreme northern plains and hunt around for ice, dig ditches and then analyze and test surface soils and subsurface samples for signs of complex organic molecules. In addition, it will also take high-resolution pictures of its surroundings and measure atmospheric conditions more than a dozen miles above the surface.