Phoenix Mission: Logo Decoded

From Phoenix Mars Mission: The Phoenix Logo Decoded. By Peter Smith. November 19, 2007.

"The Phoenix logo was chosen from artwork submitted by interested members of the Phoenix team in 2005. Most submissions were traditional: showing the lander on the Martian surface or designs based on the Phoenix name. Isabelle Tremblay of Montreal, Canada, won our logo contest with a more radical design which always reminds me of a Grateful Dead poster. She designed this logo in her spare time, her daytie job is system engineer for the Canadian Space Agency. She has helped the Canadian team provide and operate a sophisticated weather station for the Phoenix mission. The premier instrument of the station is the powerful LIDAR that sends laser beams into the sky to study clouds.

Our jazzy logo cleverly unites all the elements of our mission: the planet Mars, water, and fire. The Mars image in the background shows the northern polar cap and just to the left, still inside the arctic circle, a droplet of water swirls out into space from our landing site. Superimposed on the water is the fiery Phoenix bird scanning the Universe with a hunter’s eye. Clearly, the Phoenix is searching for something.

Remember the history of the mythical Phoenix. Throughout its 500-year life span it brings good fortune to those that see it. But as it finally ages and dies, it bursts into flames. A new Phoenix is reborn from the ashes of the old and thus continues for another 500 years. It is a popular myth throughout the world. ..."

Read the entire article by Peter Smith