It's a big day for space exploration, as NASA successfully landed the Perseverance rover on Mars Thursday afternoon just before 4 p.m. ET.
Some of the first images from the rover are already being sent back to Earth.
It's a monumental landing as many rovers since 1960 have failed to successfully land on the Red Planet.
Read more at:
NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars | CBC News
Showing posts with label Mars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mars. Show all posts
8/26/20
The Universe: Could life have started on Mars before coming to Earth? Possibly, new study suggests
How life arose on Earth remains a mystery, though many
theories have been proposed. Now a new study by Japanese scientists has
reinvigorated the discussion around panspermia: The idea that life may
have reached Earth from Mars.
The panspermia hypothesis suggests life may have arisen on another planet, with bacteria travelling through space, hitching a ride on a piece of rock or other means, eventually making its long-distance journey to Earth. Mars is a particularly appealing source, as studies suggest it was once potentially habitable with a large hemispheric ocean.
However, the biggest challenge has been determining if bacteria could survive the harsh interplanetary — or even intergalactic — journey.
Read more at:
Could life have started on Mars before coming to Earth? Possibly, new study suggests | CBC News
The panspermia hypothesis suggests life may have arisen on another planet, with bacteria travelling through space, hitching a ride on a piece of rock or other means, eventually making its long-distance journey to Earth. Mars is a particularly appealing source, as studies suggest it was once potentially habitable with a large hemispheric ocean.
However, the biggest challenge has been determining if bacteria could survive the harsh interplanetary — or even intergalactic — journey.
Read more at:
Could life have started on Mars before coming to Earth? Possibly, new study suggests | CBC News
7/23/20
Outer Space News: China launches ambitious Tianwen-1 Mars rover mission
The Tianwen-1 mission launched atop a Long March 5 rocket from Hainan Island's Wenchang Satellite Launch Center this morning (July 23) at 12:41 a.m. EDT (0441 GMT).
Tianwen-1 consists of an orbiter and a lander/rover duo, a combination of craft that had never before launched together toward the Red Planet. The ambition of Tianwen-1 is especially striking given that it's China's first stab at a full-on Mars mission. (The nation did launch a Red Planet orbiter called Yinghuo-1 in November 2011, but the spacecraft flew piggyback with Russia's Phobos-Grunt mission. And that launch failed, leaving the probes trapped in Earth orbit.)
"Tianwen-1 is going to orbit, land and release a rover all on the very first try, and coordinate observations with an orbiter," team members wrote in a recent Nature Astronomy paper outlining the mission's main objectives. "No planetary missions have ever been implemented in this way. If successful, it would signify a major technical breakthrough."
Read more at:
China launches ambitious Tianwen-1 Mars rover mission | Space
Tianwen-1 consists of an orbiter and a lander/rover duo, a combination of craft that had never before launched together toward the Red Planet. The ambition of Tianwen-1 is especially striking given that it's China's first stab at a full-on Mars mission. (The nation did launch a Red Planet orbiter called Yinghuo-1 in November 2011, but the spacecraft flew piggyback with Russia's Phobos-Grunt mission. And that launch failed, leaving the probes trapped in Earth orbit.)
"Tianwen-1 is going to orbit, land and release a rover all on the very first try, and coordinate observations with an orbiter," team members wrote in a recent Nature Astronomy paper outlining the mission's main objectives. "No planetary missions have ever been implemented in this way. If successful, it would signify a major technical breakthrough."
Read more at:
China launches ambitious Tianwen-1 Mars rover mission | Space
1/11/19
Space Exploraton: Sending people to Mars is stupid stays former NASA Astronait
Sending people to Mars is ‘stupid,’ says former US astronaut
Read more at:
11/6/15
Space Exploration: NASA reveals clues to Mars’ watery past
“What happened to the Mars atmosphere? I’ll quote Bob Dylan – ‘The
answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind’,” said Michael Meyer, lead
scientist at the Mars Exploration Program, said in Washington DC on
Thursday.
The findings suggest a solar storm blasted away Mars’ atmosphere around three and a half billion years ago. Unlike Earth, Mars did not have a global magnetic field to protect its atmosphere.
NASA’s Mars-orbiting MAVEN spacecraft caught such a storm stripping away the planet’s atmosphere, scientists said.
“Up until about 3.7 billion years ago, water seemed to be very abundant and active. So the stripping of the solar wind, the stripping by the solar wind, of the atmosphere, would have occurred in that same time-frame,” said MAVEN lead researcher Bruce Jakosky.
“Mars appears to meet all of the conditions required for life or to have met them at the surface in the past. And that begs the question of whether was ever any life there, and if there was, whether it was genetically related to terrestrial life or would represent an independent origin.
“So as we go into the future, I think these questions about life and climate and the history of the planet as a whole are really at the centre of the exploration,” Jakosky continued.
Read more: NASA reveals clues to Mars’ watery past | euronews, world news
The findings suggest a solar storm blasted away Mars’ atmosphere around three and a half billion years ago. Unlike Earth, Mars did not have a global magnetic field to protect its atmosphere.
NASA’s Mars-orbiting MAVEN spacecraft caught such a storm stripping away the planet’s atmosphere, scientists said.
“Up until about 3.7 billion years ago, water seemed to be very abundant and active. So the stripping of the solar wind, the stripping by the solar wind, of the atmosphere, would have occurred in that same time-frame,” said MAVEN lead researcher Bruce Jakosky.
“Mars appears to meet all of the conditions required for life or to have met them at the surface in the past. And that begs the question of whether was ever any life there, and if there was, whether it was genetically related to terrestrial life or would represent an independent origin.
“So as we go into the future, I think these questions about life and climate and the history of the planet as a whole are really at the centre of the exploration,” Jakosky continued.
Read more: NASA reveals clues to Mars’ watery past | euronews, world news
3/28/15
Space Research: Russia & US agree to build new space station after ISS, work on joint Mars project
In a landmark decision, Russian space agency Roscosmos and its US
counterpart NASA have agreed to build a new space station after the
current International Space Station (ISS) expires.
The operation of the ISS was prolonged until 2024.
“We have agreed that Roscosmos and NASA will be working together on the program of a future space station," Roscosmos chief Igor Komarov said during a news conference on Saturday.
Read more: Russia & US agree to build new space station after ISS, work on joint Mars project — RT News
The operation of the ISS was prolonged until 2024.
“We have agreed that Roscosmos and NASA will be working together on the program of a future space station," Roscosmos chief Igor Komarov said during a news conference on Saturday.
Read more: Russia & US agree to build new space station after ISS, work on joint Mars project — RT News
3/10/14
Space Exploration: Russian, European space agency chiefs discuss Mars, Moon projects
"The chiefs of the agencies exchanged opinions on further
cooperation in the ExoMars project and possible areas of cooperation in
automatic lunar research projects and summed up intermediate results of
interaction in manned programs," says a report of the Roscosmos press
service obtained by Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.
The
Roscosmos and ESA heads scheduled a number of working meetings for this
year. Ostapenko also had a meeting with Arianespace President - General
Director Stephane Israel.
"After making a brief review
of Arianespace operations, the heads of Roscosmos and Arianespace
discussed progress on current projects and a number of prospective
bilateral cooperation plans," the report said.
The Roscosmos head met with executives of some of the leading European rocket and space companies in Paris.
It
was reported earlier that Roscosmos and Arianespace had initialed an
agreement on the additional delivery of seven Soyuz-ST launch vehicles
for missions from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana, South
America.
Read more: Russian, European space agency chiefs discuss Mars, Moon projects - News - World - The Voice of Russia: News, Breaking news, Politics, Economics, Business, Russia, International current events, Expert opinion, podcasts, Video
12/26/13
European Space Research: Mars Express Spacecraft To Make Closest Flyby Yet Of Red Planet's Moon Phobos
 |
| the European (ESA) Mars Express |
Passing just 28 miles (45 kilometers) above the surface of Phobos, the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft will be traveling too close and too fast to take any images of the lumpy, potato-shaped moon. But the probe's flyby will help scientists understand its weak gravitational field, ESA officials say.
Phobos is small, measuring only about 16 by 14 by 11 miles (27 by 22 by 18 km), which means a 150-pound (68 kilograms) person standing on its surface would weigh just two ounces (56 grams). [Photos: Mars' Biggest Moon Phobos Up Close]
Nonetheless, Phobos' gravitational pull will tug Mars Express slightly off course during Sunday's flyby. Ground stations around the world will track the precise location of the spacecraft for 35 hours around its big moment, looking for small deviations in the orbiter's path.
These slight movements can then be translated into measurements of the mass and density structure inside the moon. New data could build on past observations from the European orbiter that indicated the Martian moon could be quite hollow inside (between a quarter and a third empty space).
"By making close flybys of Phobos with Mars Express in this way, we can help to put constraints on the origin of these mysterious moons," Olivier Witasse, ESA's Mars Express project scientist said in a statement.
Read more: Mars Express Spacecraft To Make Closest Flyby Yet Of Red Planet's Moon Phobos (VIDEO)
3/14/13
Space exploration: Russia and Europe Seal Mars Deal - by Anatoly Medetsky
The Federal Space Agency and the European Space Agency on Thursday formally agreed to join forces to explore Mars in a project that will cost at least an estimated $1.8 billion.
Read more: Russia and Europe Seal Mars Deal | Business | The Moscow Times
Read more: Russia and Europe Seal Mars Deal | Business | The Moscow Times
10/21/12
Space Exploration: Mars' Shiny Particles: Curiosity Rover Digs Up Unidentified Material, NASA Scientists Say
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has found some more bright stuff on the Red Planet, scientists say.
The Curiosity rover had dumped out a recent sample of Mars dirt after spotting shiny particles inside the hole dug by the shovel-like scoop on its robotic arm. Mission scientists were concerned that the bright material might be debris from the rover itself, so they ordered Curiosity to toss the Mars sample as a safety precaution, mission managers said in a statement.
As it turns out, the bright particles are actual Martian in origin, they added.
Curiosity is scooping up Mars dirt in a spot called "Rocknest" in preparation to deliver the first samples to a pair of instruments on its car-size body. The rover scooped its first Mars sample on Oct. 7, but further work was delayed when the rover's cameras spotted a bright object —likely a piece of plastic —on the ground in the area.
Scientists had cleared Curiosity to start scooping Mars dirt again ahead of the first sample study when they spotted the new bright material. Curiosity's initial Mars dirt scoops are designed to clean the rover's sampling system.
Read more: Mars' Shiny Particles: Curiosity Rover Digs Up Unidentified Material, NASA Scientists Say
The Curiosity rover had dumped out a recent sample of Mars dirt after spotting shiny particles inside the hole dug by the shovel-like scoop on its robotic arm. Mission scientists were concerned that the bright material might be debris from the rover itself, so they ordered Curiosity to toss the Mars sample as a safety precaution, mission managers said in a statement.
As it turns out, the bright particles are actual Martian in origin, they added.
Curiosity is scooping up Mars dirt in a spot called "Rocknest" in preparation to deliver the first samples to a pair of instruments on its car-size body. The rover scooped its first Mars sample on Oct. 7, but further work was delayed when the rover's cameras spotted a bright object —likely a piece of plastic —on the ground in the area.
Scientists had cleared Curiosity to start scooping Mars dirt again ahead of the first sample study when they spotted the new bright material. Curiosity's initial Mars dirt scoops are designed to clean the rover's sampling system.
Read more: Mars' Shiny Particles: Curiosity Rover Digs Up Unidentified Material, NASA Scientists Say
8/20/12
NASA: Why Mars Rover Curiosity Is Likely to Find 'Martians'
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| Curiosity Rover |
The six-legged, nuclear-powered $2 billion robot has already sent back images of Gale Crater where it landed, and it's soon on its way toward a 3-mile-high mountain nearby. Scientists — and indeed the entire world — are watching with bated breath to see what Curiosity can find as it spends the next two years digging, sampling, probing, and analyzing on the Red Planet's rocky surface.
Many will also be looking for evidence of life on Mars, and Curiosity may provide it — even if it's not there. NASA footage has long been fodder for UFO buffs and conspiracy theorists who comb through countless photos and hours of video looking for evidence of alien life (or evidence that NASA is covering up evidence of extraterrestrials).
Read more: Why Mars Rover Curiosity Is Likely to Find 'Martians' | Space.com
8/8/12
Outer Space: Mars Rover Curiosity: A Complete Guide to Tagging Along Online
NASA’s Curiosity rover is rolling on Mars and sending back color photos, videos and other information about the red planet, and it’s easier than ever to keep up with all of the latest Mars rover news online. You can follow Curiosity’s adventures on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. If you prefer video, there’s Ustream and YouTube. Traditionalists can get their news the old-fashioned way by checking in with a website, and there’s even a mobile app to keep you posted while you’re on vacation this summer.
To track Curiosity’s adventures online: Curiosity has its own Twitter account (@MarsCuriosity) where NASA tweets photos taken by the rover as well as links to news updates and press conferences. You can also follow NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the NASA laboratory heading up the Curiosity mission.
Check out the Curiosity Facebook page to see past updates about the Mars rover, photos and other information. You can Like the Curiosity page to get updates sent to your news feed or add it to an Interest List for less-frequent updates. You can also Like the pages for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, all the Mars exploration Rovers, and NASA. You should also bookmark NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Web page in your browser. This page is the central place to find the latest unedited photos from Curiosity, mission information, team blogs, and NASA’s Be A Martian app for Android can keep you updated while on the go.
Read more: Mars Rover Curiosity: A Complete Guide to Tagging Along Online | PCWorld
To track Curiosity’s adventures online: Curiosity has its own Twitter account (@MarsCuriosity) where NASA tweets photos taken by the rover as well as links to news updates and press conferences. You can also follow NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the NASA laboratory heading up the Curiosity mission.
Check out the Curiosity Facebook page to see past updates about the Mars rover, photos and other information. You can Like the Curiosity page to get updates sent to your news feed or add it to an Interest List for less-frequent updates. You can also Like the pages for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, all the Mars exploration Rovers, and NASA. You should also bookmark NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Web page in your browser. This page is the central place to find the latest unedited photos from Curiosity, mission information, team blogs, and NASA’s Be A Martian app for Android can keep you updated while on the go.
Read more: Mars Rover Curiosity: A Complete Guide to Tagging Along Online | PCWorld
8/6/12
ESA's Mars Express mission welcomes NASA's Curiosity rover
The European mission Mars Express developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) welcomed to the Red Planet the Curiosity rover sent by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ESA’s New Norcia tracking station also picked up signals directly from the NASA mission, 248 million km away at Mars.
The signals recorded by Mars Express during entry and descent of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MLS) rover were successfully received ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. The signals received by Mars Express were immediately sent to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.
Mars Express picked up MSL signals about 10 minutes before it entered the atmosphere, travelling at 21,000 kilometres per hour, in a critical period for the success of the mission. Over the weeks following the arrival of Curiosity to Mars surface, Mars Express and the ESA's ESOC team will make several data relay overflights during the early stages of NASA's mission to Mars.
The European mission will ensure emergency support if requested by the NASA by relaying data from Curiosity to Earth. This represents a major step for the support provided by the European Space Agency in the development of NASA's mission to Mars, a support which is possible thanks to a close collaboration between both agencies.
Read more: Euroalert.net - ESA's Mars Express mission welcomes NASA's Curiosity rover - News about the European Union
The signals recorded by Mars Express during entry and descent of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MLS) rover were successfully received ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. The signals received by Mars Express were immediately sent to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.
Mars Express picked up MSL signals about 10 minutes before it entered the atmosphere, travelling at 21,000 kilometres per hour, in a critical period for the success of the mission. Over the weeks following the arrival of Curiosity to Mars surface, Mars Express and the ESA's ESOC team will make several data relay overflights during the early stages of NASA's mission to Mars.
The European mission will ensure emergency support if requested by the NASA by relaying data from Curiosity to Earth. This represents a major step for the support provided by the European Space Agency in the development of NASA's mission to Mars, a support which is possible thanks to a close collaboration between both agencies.
Read more: Euroalert.net - ESA's Mars Express mission welcomes NASA's Curiosity rover - News about the European Union
Outer Space: NASA rover Curiosity makes historic Mars landing, beams back photos
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| Curiosity landing on Mars |
Engineers said the tricky landing sequence, combining a giant parachute with a rocket-pack that lowered the rover to the Martian surface on a tether, allowed for zero margin for error.
"I can't believe this. This is unbelievable," enthused Allen Chen, the deputy head of the rover's descent and landing team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Los Angeles.
 |
| Curiosity |
The $2.5 billion Curiosity project, formally called the Mars Science Laboratory, is NASA's first astrobiology mission since the 1970s-era Viking probes.
"It's an enormous step forward in planetary exploration. Nobody has ever done anything like this," said John Holdren, the top science advisor to President Barack Obama, who was visiting JPL for the event. "It was an incredible performance."
Read more: NASA rover Curiosity makes historic Mars landing, beams back photos | Reuters
8/30/11
Russia teams up with European Space Agency in bid to launch first manned mission to Mars
Russia is teaming up with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch the first manned mission to Mars.
Speaking at an air show at Zhukovsky, near Moscow, ESA chief Jean-Jacques Dordain said his agency and Roskosmos will 'carry out the first flight to Mars together.
For more: Russia teams up with European Space Agency in bid to launch first manned mission to Mars | Mail Online
4/6/07
CORDIS : Europe to develop its own exploration on the Moon and Mars
Europe's heavy launcher Ariane5 takes off from the Kourou Space PortFor the complete report from CORDISNews click on this link
Europe to develop its own exploration on the Moon and Mars
Scientists working with the European Science Foundation (ESF) are to publish a research programme in May for the exploration of the Moon and Mars. The Aurora Programme was established by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2001 as part of Europe's contribution to the international endeavour to explore the solar system. The programme will aim to combine scientific and technological goals when it sends its flotilla of robotic probes to pave the way for humans to land on Mars in the 2030s. 'Aurora is not science-driven in the same way as the mandatory science programme of ESA [the European Space Agency],' says Dr Jean-Claude Worms, of ESF. 'It's a technology-driven programme though it does of course have an important science component.'
Indeed, the first Aurora mission to be launched in 2013 or 2014 will be ExoMars, a robotic spacecraft equipped with solar arrays to generate electricity and navigate autonomously with the help of software and optical sensors. Once on the red planet, it will release a rover carrying a laboratory able to analyse rock and soil samples for signs of life.
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