Probe blasts off on Mars mission

Phoenix, the latest Nasa mission to Mars, will land on the icy surface of the planet's north pole.

Scientists believe conditions in this region are the most likely to yield evidence of past or present life.

The spacecraft, which is due to reach Mars on May 25 next year after a journey of 422 million miles, is fitted with a robotic arm for scooping up samples of muddy, icy Martian soil to a depth of 1.6 feet.

An onboard laboratory will heat up the samples and analyse the gases they give off.

Unlike the ill-fated British Beagle 2 probe which vanished as it attempted to land on Mars on Christmas Day 2003, Phoenix is not equipped to find signs of life.

Instead it will look for evidence that the soil is capable of harbouring living organisms.

A Delta II rocket launched Phoenix into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 10.26am UK time.

Phoenix is the first of Nasa's Scout series of spacecraft, designed for low-cost missions to Mars. As well as testing the soil, Phoenix will take spectacular pictures with its stereo camera.

The probe will use a parachute and retro-thrusters to land on Mars, rather than relying on airbags as other craft have done.