Mars Phoenix Lander

Damon Hill wrote:
A future mission will have the lander descend on a hovering platform,
lowered by a winch. The platform will translate a distance away
before setting down/impacting.

The Great Martian Ghoul is looking forwards to having that mission for lunch!

But isn't that mission the big rover (humvee version of MER)? So
contamination isn't much of an issue since it can just drive away. Landing on
a boulder is that mission's concern.

Glen Overby