Mars Express first boom deployed

After considerable problems with locking the first of the three Marsis (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding) booms into place, mission scientists have reported sucess by swinging the probe round to warm the boom. After at least a weeks analysis of the problem, the other 2 booms (two 20 metre poles and one 7 metre pole) will be released. The booms will send low-frequency radio waves to the surface where they will be used to search for water reserves.