Phoenix Rises Toward Mars . ... Credit Copyright: NASA Explanation: Can Mars sustain life? ... In May 2008, Phoenix is expected to land in an unexplored north polar region of Mars that is rich in water-ice . ... One hope is that Phoenix will be able to discern telling clues to the history of ice and water on Mars . Phoenix is also poised to explore the boundary between ice and soil in hopes of finding clues of a habitable zone there that could support microbial life . ...