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Two hours ago, MarsPhoenix gave it’s final Twitter message – “Triumph” in binary, followed by an ascii heart. Mission control reports that they finally lost contact with the lander, which is now probably frozen on the surface of Mars and not likely to revive when it thaws another year from now. And I’m only mildly embarrassed to say it makes me sad.

@MarsPhoenix was an excellent way to engage people in the mission, which otherwise would have gone unnoticed spare the occasional news clippings. By giving the little robot a Twitter feed and posting brief notes on progress from a first person perspective, the team managed to give it a personality. And personality goes a long way. That simple side project endeared the craft to thousands of people across the world like no other similar mission could have… and I’m sure I’m not the only one who will miss it.