- #36
LowlyPion
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Wikipedia even has an entry on this:
"Discovery of Perchlorate on Mars
NASA reports that: "Within the last month [July 2008], two samples have been analyzed by the Wet Chemistry Lab of the spacecraft 's Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer, or MECA, suggesting one of the soil constituents may be perchlorate, a highly oxidizing substance." It is still unknown whether the perchlorate originates from the spaceship or if it occurs naturally on Mars.[13]
However, the source of the perchlorate has not yet been evaluated fully, and may represent possible extra-Martian (Earth-sourced) contamination via the Phoenix lander itself. This is however unlikely since the Phoenix used ultrapure hydrazine for its retro rockets, and the perchlorate was found below the surface and at concentrations higher than would be expected from contamination during Earth launch operations. [14]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perchlorate
Also:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/news/phoenix-20080804.html
"Discovery of Perchlorate on Mars
NASA reports that: "Within the last month [July 2008], two samples have been analyzed by the Wet Chemistry Lab of the spacecraft 's Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer, or MECA, suggesting one of the soil constituents may be perchlorate, a highly oxidizing substance." It is still unknown whether the perchlorate originates from the spaceship or if it occurs naturally on Mars.[13]
However, the source of the perchlorate has not yet been evaluated fully, and may represent possible extra-Martian (Earth-sourced) contamination via the Phoenix lander itself. This is however unlikely since the Phoenix used ultrapure hydrazine for its retro rockets, and the perchlorate was found below the surface and at concentrations higher than would be expected from contamination during Earth launch operations. [14]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perchlorate
Also:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/news/phoenix-20080804.html