NASA's Phoenix Lander arrives on Arctic Plain of Mars

NASA's Phoenix Lander has safely reached the martian surface, according to the live feed from JPL's Pasadena facility last night. The lander reported minutes after it's landing via pictures that "the solar arrays needed for the mission's energy supply had unfolded properly, and masts for the stereo camera and weather station had swung into vertical position", NASA stated in an article on their site. Also mentioned in their article is that the lander is equipped with "science instruments to assess whether ice just below the surface ever thaws and whether some chemical ingredients of life are preserved in the icy soil". These are factors critical to the success or failure of any future Human mars landing. NASA TV will be holding a televised press briefing at 11:00 AM PST, or 2:00 PM EST.

You can view the full article here at the NASA website
And a gallery of photos from the craft here.