Mars probe lands successfully

(CNN) - The first-ever landing of a probe near Mars' north pole took place successfully on Sunday, NASA confirmed.

The Mars Phoenix Lander, completing a 296-day journey, closed in on the Red Planet with a 50-50 chance of a successful touchdown on its arctic plains, NASA officials said.

The landing - dubbed the "seven minutes of terror" - was a nerve-wracking experience for mission managers, who have witnessed the failure of similar missions. Despite that, they could hardly contain their excitement.

In mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, they celebrated the lander's much-anticipated entry.