The first sample of Martian soil heated and analyzed by the science suite on Phoenix showed no sign of water. Not a trace. Mission scientists believe, however, that the lack of water is due to the fact that the sample laid atop the Lander for several days, exposed to the sun's heating, while scientists tried to get some of it to fall into their oven. They plan to heat the sample to higher temperatures, still hoping to find water's signature. The scientists are also confident of finding water in subsequent samples.
There's every reason to think they will succeed. NASA's rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have found evidence of water near the surface, and subsurface radar has revealed a huge area of water or water ice under Mars' north polar region. Phoenix sits atop that area.
The biggest discovery of the Phoenix mission so far is a layer of white material just under the surface. NASA is unsure as yet whether the material is ice or salt.
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