NASA TO DISCUSS PHOENIX MARS MISSION SCIENCE DATA

NASA will hold a media briefing Monday, Sept. 29, at 2 p.m. EDT, to discuss the latest developments, findings and upcoming science opportunities of the Phoenix Mars Lander. The briefing will take place in the NASA Headquarters' James E. Webb Auditorium, 300 E St., S.W., Washington. It will be carried live on NASA Television and on the Web.

Phoenix landed on Mars May 25, and officially ended its prime mission Aug. 26. Now in extended operations, the lander is continuing to study a northern arctic site and investigating if the environment there has ever been favorable for microbial life.

Participants will be:
- Doug McCuistion, director of Mars Exploration Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington
- Barry Goldstein, Phoenix project manager, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. - William Boynton, lead scientist, Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer, University of Arizona, Tucson
- Michael Hecht, lead scientist, Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer, JPL
- Leslie Tamppari, Phoenix project scientist, JPL
- Jim Whiteway, lead scientist, Phoenix Meteorological Station, York University, Toronto
- Peter Smith, Phoenix principal investigator, University of Arizona

Journalists may ask questions from participating NASA centers. Reporters also may listen or ask questions via phone. To reserve phone lines contact Steve Cole on 202-358-0918.

For more information about NASA TV, streaming video, and downlink and schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the Phoenix mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/phoenix