[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12161-12162]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 591--RECOGNIZING THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE 
 ADMINISTRATION (NASA) FOR THE HISTORIC TOUCHDOWN OF THE PHOENIX MARS 
                LANDER DURING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR

  Mr. BROWN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:

                              S. Res. 591

       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;
       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;

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       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
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration (NASA) for 50 years of scientific and 
     technological excellence;
       (2) recognizes NASA for the historic landing of the Phoenix 
     Mars Lander;
       (3) recognizes the importance of the Phoenix mission to 
     NASA's long-term Mars Exploration Program;
       (4) recognizes the importance of contributions made by NASA 
     Glenn Research Center to the NASA space program, including to 
     Mars and moon missions; and
       (5) recognizes the importance of NASA's Human Research 
     Program, and Glenn Research Center's contributions to such 
     program, to the health and safety of all NASA astronauts.

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