Phoenix Lander Arrives at Mars . ... Credit Copyright: MAAS Digital , SVV Project , NASA Explanation: Will Phoenix survive its landing today on Mars? ... Shown above is an artistic animation of what it might look like to see Phoenix land on Mars. In the animated sequence, the Phoenix spacecraft arrives at Mars, deploys its breaking parachute , jettisons its heat shield , fires it thrusters, lands, unfurls its solar panels , deploys its instruments, scoops up some of Mars, and begins its analysis . ...