Phoenix Lands on Mars: Swiss Atomic Force Microscope Helps Explore Mars Environment

Nanosurf AG is proud to contribute the first space-adapted atomic force microscope (AFM) for NASA's current Mars Mission named Phoenix. The goal of the Phoenix Mission is to answer important questions such as whether water exists in forms that support life.

Liestal, Switzerland (PRWEB) May 28, 2008 -- NASA's Phoenix Lander has successfully touched down in the northern polar region of Mars. One of the instruments on board the Phoenix Mars Mission is a Swiss atomic force microscope (http://www.nanosurf.com) designed to investigate Martian soil samples for possible traces of ice. This Nanomicroscope is the fruit of scientific collaboration of the Institute of Microtechnology at the University of Neuchâtel, the Institute of Physics at the University of Basel, and Nanosurf AG in Liestal. The goal of the Phoenix Mission is to answer important questions such as whether water exists in forms that support life. All on board instruments are checked for functionality during the first few days after a successful landing, following which the first measurement data will be transmitted to Earth.

For Lukas Howald, physicist and cofounder of Nanosurf, the choice of Nanosurf as project partner for the Mars expedition confirms the worldclass abilities of Swiss nanospecialists: "Nobody else was able to contribute a similarly small, lightweight, and lowpower system for this mission."

Nanosurf AG, maker and technological world market leader for userfriendly and automated nanomicroscopes for surface visualization, counts about 30 employees in Liestal.

Further Links:

Official Homepage of NASA's Phoenix Mars Mission: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/index.html

Press release of the University of Neuchâtel: http://www2.unine.ch/Jahia/site/presse/cache/offonce/pid/23869;jsessionid=0808E9B12CE08ED83ACCF21D904A7DF7

More about Nanosurf AG: http://www.nanosurf.com

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