Perchlorate Salt Effects on Rock Weathering on Mars at the Phoenix Landing Site

Statement of the problem: The Phoenix Mission was the first to land in the polar regions on Mars. The mission revealed three surprising results: (1) The surface at the landing site had a very low concentration of large size rocks, (2) The unexpectedly sticky nature of the soil prevented it initially from falling through one of the instrument’s screens as planned, (3) Perchlorate salt was found at a high concentration (~1%) in Martian soil. Further study could prove that the three results are related. The scientific results of the Phoenix mission motivate a return to that site with a mission capable of drilling into the ice-cemented ground. To design a mission we must understand the engineering properties of the soil, salt, ice and rock environment.