In the next to last press briefing, managers for the Phoenix mission said they have clear skies and good conditions for a landing tomorrow just before 5 pm Pacific time. A dust storm that was over the landing site two days ago has since moved on. “We feel we have a very clear day for landing,” said Barry Goldstein, Phoenix project manager.

The last remaining decision is whether to make one last course correction to the spacecraft’s trajectory later today. If managers wanted to drop Phoenix in the safest spot, they could nudge the probe about 10 kilometers to the southeast. But managers have to weigh the benefits of the move, versus the risks of firing thrusters on the spacecraft. Joe Guinn, Phoenix mission manager, said the team is likely to do nothing, since the probe is still on track to land in the middle of an area with few rocks. “This is a very flat area,” Guinn said. “You can kinda think of Kansas, smoothed out.” The mission managers are going to make a decision this afternoon at 3:30 pm Pacific time, and the course correction would occur at 8 pm Pacific time.

The biggest battle left could be nerves. Once the spacecraft begins its descent – dubbed the seven minutes of terror – the mission team will just cross their fingers and hope. “It’s a very nerve wracking time,” said Goldstein. “The anxiety level is getting high.”

Late Update: The JPL engineers have indeed decided to forgo the chance for a course correction. It wasn’t worth the risk. “If you’re in a safe place, why bother?” Joe Guinn told me earlier.