The Red Planet’s northern pole last night yesterday welcomed NASA’s Phoenix spacecraft, which parachuted to the planet's surface at 7:53 p.m. Eastern time, successfully ending a 10-month, 422-million mile journey through space.

The halls of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge, Calif., which is managing the mission, echoed with the sounds of cheers and applause, when Phoenix spacecraft landed on the northern pole of Mars.

It was the first successful soft landing on Mars since two Viking landers touched down in 1976. Two NASA rovers, which successfully landed on the planet four years ago, used parachutes and cushioned air bags to bounce to the surface.

Scientists and technicians were elated and relieved. The landing was an elegant feat of engineering and artistry. Richard Kornfeld, a communications specialist said, "Touchdown signal detected. Welcome to the northern plains of Mars." "We have the best team in the world," said an exultant Barry Goldstein, the project manager.

Scientists described the entry-descent-landing period, during which the lander separates from the spacecraft, enters the atmosphere and brakes from 12,000 miles per hour to 5 miles per hour, as "seven minutes of terror."

According to scientists, the landing appeared to be al most picture perfect. Each event, from the deployment of the parachute to the firing of the thrusters that brought the lander the final 300 feet to the surface, occurred just as the laboratory had planned.

Tomorrow, it is scheduled to deploy its 7.7-foot-long robotic arm, which will be used to dig into the soil. Lying just beneath the lander is an ice layer that Phoenix will dig into, searching for evidence of organic molecules that could provide a habitat for life.

The 7-foot-tall, 904-pound Phoenix lander touched down after a 296-day trek across space. About half of past missions to Mars have failed. The name Phoenix, referring to the mythical bird rising from its own ashes, was derived from the 1999 Mars Polar Lander, which was lost as it descended to the surface.