Phoenix Farewell

The Phoenix lander has been blogging on Gizmodo as a lead-up to today's final installment -- the lander is going off-line, possibly never to return (excerpt only, tip of the iceberg -- go read the whole thing):

"If you are reading this, then my mission is probably over.

"This final entry is one that I asked be posted after my mission team announces they’ve lost contact with me. Today is that day and I must say good-bye, but I do it in triumph and not in grief.

"As I’ve said before, there’s no other place I’d rather be than here. My mission lasted five months instead of three, and I’m content knowing that I worked hard and accomplished great things during that time. My work here is done, but I leave behind a legacy of images and data. . . .

"So long Earth. I’ll be here to greet the next explorers to arrive, be they robot or human."