The Phoenix lander hasn't been heard from since the 2nd of November, which is believed to be due to the beginning of the Martian winter and a recent dust storm. Scientists have made efforts to re-establish contact with the spacecraft, but aren't expecting the silence to be broken. They do however, hold out hope that the lander may surprise them and will also make attempts to reactive the Phoenix once the warmth of Spring kicks in. Since the Phoenix landed on Mars on May 25th this year, it has uncovered information about the chemical composition of the soil on the red planet. NASA's next Mars mission is due to launch next summer, though could be set back until 2011.