NASA’s Phoenix lander made if safely to the Martian surface and sent back its first images this evening. Since it takes over 10 minutes for the signal to get back to earth, you’re actually watching events that have already taken place. Still it’s pretty amazing just how well the landing went. The first images included some interesting shots of the local landscape. I love that in this connected age, the images were literally up on the Phoenix site minutes after they came down from the spacecraft.