The Phoenix Mars Lander is lifted up alongside the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17 A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Attached to an overhead crane, the Phoenix Mars Lander is lifted up alongside the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Once inside the tower, the lander will be mated to the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander is scheduled for Aug. 3. There are two instantaneous launch times, 5:35:18 and 6:11:24 a.m. EDT. Phoenix will land in icy soils near the north polar permanent ice cap of Mars and explore the history of the water in these soils and any associated rocks, while monitoring polar climate. Landing on Mars is planned in May 2008 on arctic ground where a mission currently in orbit, Mars Odyssey, has detected high concentrations of ice just beneath the top layer of soil. NASA/George Shelton