III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 591 

Recognizing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for 

the historic touchdown of the Phoenix Mars Lander during its 50th 

anniversary year. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 11, 2008 

Mr. BROWN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the historic touchdown of the Phoenix 

Mars Lander during its 50th anniversary year. 

Whereas the Phoenix Mars Lander (Phoenix) touched down 

successfully on Mars on May 25, 2008; 

Whereas the Phoenix landing was the first successful soft 

landing on Mars in over 30 years; 

Whereas this achievement occurred during the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) 50th year of 

scientific and technological excellence, and 47 years to 

the day after President Kennedy challenged the Nation 

to put a man on the moon; 


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•SRES 591 IS 

Whereas the successful Phoenix landing is the result of years 

of planning, analyzing, and testing conducted by the 

dedicated men and women of NASA; 

Whereas less than 50 percent of all previous lander missions 

have made it safely to the Mars planetary surface; 

Whereas Phoenix is the first mission in NASA’s Mars Scout 

program, a series of innovative and lower-cost spacecraft 

that will complement major missions; 

Whereas Phoenix will be the first mission to collect meteorological data in the Martian arctic; 

Whereas the mission will study the history of the planet in 

its water and ice, monitor weather of the polar region, 

and investigate whether the subsurface environment in 

the far-northern plains of Mars has ever been favorable 

for sustaining microbial life; 

Whereas this data will allow scientists to accurately model 

Mars’s past climate and predict future weather processes; 

Whereas this data will increase our knowledge of the existence and nature of habitable zones on Mars; 

While this data is instrumental in achieving the science goals 

of NASA’s long-term Mars Exploration Program; 

Whereas NASA Glenn Research Center’s support to past 

Mars missions has enabled the continuing scientific exploration of Mars; and 

Whereas the Glenn Research Center’s contributions to 

NASA’s Human Research Program play a vital role in 

providing solutions to critical problems that place human 

exploration missions and their crews at risk: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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•SRES 591 IS 

1 (1) recognizes the National Aeronautics and 

2 Space Administration (NASA) for 50 years of sci3 entific and technological excellence; 

4 (2) recognizes NASA for the historic landing of 

5 the Phoenix Mars Lander; 

6 (3) recognizes the importance of the Phoenix 

7 mission to NASA’s long-term Mars Exploration Pro8 gram; 

9 (4) recognizes the importance of contributions 

10 made by NASA Glenn Research Center to the 

11 NASA space program, including to Mars and moon 

12 missions; and 

13 (5) recognizes the importance of NASA’s 

14 Human Research Program, and Glenn Research 

15 Center’s contributions to such program, to the 

16 health and safety of all NASA astronauts. 

Æ 


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