[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 19, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2272-E2273]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA-LED PHOENIX MARS MISSION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2008

  Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute today to the 
team of intrepid men and women at the University of Arizona who 
significantly advanced our knowledge of the universe through their work 
on the Phoenix Mars Mission. They were led by Peter Smith, principal 
investigator for the project.

[[Page E2273]]

  These 21st century explorers achieved a great engineering and 
scientific triumph earlier this year when the 770-pound Phoenix 
traveled 420 million miles and successfully parachuted to the rocky 
surface of Mars. That odds-defying landing, however, was only the 
beginning of Phoenix's awe-inspiring accomplishments.
  On the surface of the Red Planet, Phoenix harnessed the power of the 
sun to scoop up and analyze the Martian soil. This data--including a 
series of remarkable photographs--was transmitted back to Earth where 
scientists made what must surely be one of the most significant 
discoveries in human history: the presence of frozen water.
  For as long as humankind has peered into the heavens, we have 
wondered whether or not we are alone in the universe. From our earliest 
ancestors to medieval theologians to the scientists of our day, this 
question has loomed over us like the stars themselves. Mars has been 
the focus of much of this speculation. More than 40 missions have been 
launched to explore this planet but only six have been successful. 
Foremost among them is the University of Arizona-led Phoenix Mars 
Mission.
  The discovery of frozen water on Mars by Phoenix did not definitively 
confirm or deny the age-old question of our uniqueness in the universe. 
No one ever expected it would. But it did give us a deeper 
understanding of the fourth planet from the sun. This new knowledge is 
a testimony to the creativity of the men and women who made Phoenix 
possible at the University of Arizona, the first public university to 
lead a mission to Mars.
  The Phoenix Mars Mission Team members are: Cherie Achilles, Douglas 
Archer, Chris Adams, Paul Allvin, Maria Banks, Stephanie Barnes, Jean 
Barret, Carla Bitter, Rolfe Bode, Matt Bomhoff, William Boynton, Robert 
Bovill, Dennis Bowers, Cassie Bowman, David Burke, Sanlyn Buxner, Ryan 
Brestel, James Cantone, Chewie Chu, Kevin Corcoran, Jesse Cornia, 
Michael Drake, Gerard Droege, Alex Ebadirad, Jacob Egan, Heather Enos, 
Lisa Fahey, Charles Fellows, Tony Ferrow, Michael Finch, Kenny Fine, 
Mike Fitzgibbon, Gwennie Furr, Connie Garcia, Justin Giacotto, 
Gabrielle Gilbertsen, Joseph Gotobed, Stephen Gray, Dave Hamara, Sara 
Hammond, Lori Harrison, Dustin Harshman, Karl Harshman, Chelsea Hodson, 
John Hughes, Robert Jaw, Monty Kennedy, Hamza Kolaghsi, Frankie Kolb, 
Melissa Lamberton, Jeffrey Landgreen, Lynn Lane, Therese Lane, Pamela 
Larrow, Abel Levario, Colleen Lester, Andrew Levine, Robert Logan, 
Douglas Lombardi, Peter Manning, Katelun May, Rick McCloskey, Evan 
McKelvy, Trevor Merkley, John Moores, Bryan Morgante, Sean Mulvey, 
Julie Norwood, Carroll Oquest, Jerry Penegor, Federico Pennacchini, Ian 
Phillips, Amy Philips, John Pursch, Siddhartha Ray, Robert Reynolds, 
Garret Richards, Joaquin Ruiz, David Sage, Tisha Saltzman, Walter 
Seaman, Jeff Seligman, Andrew Shaner, Adam Shaw, Robert Shelton, Chris 
Shinohara, Peter Smith, William Sperry, Lori Stiles, Johnathan 
Strootman, Kari Sturm, Roger Tanner, Lisa Tatge, Lisa Tidwell, Cheryl 
Tomoeda, Kimmie Varela, Cindi Ward, Heather Weisacosky, Mike Williams, 
Galen Woida, Patrick Woida, Rigel Woida, Patricia Wroblewski.
  I commend them for their success and for all they have done to expand 
our knowledge of the planet Mars.

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