Post by glactus on Dec 21, 2011 1:21:21 GMT
NASA has launched the Mars Science Laboratory which is now on its way to assess the past and present habitability of the Red Planet's surface and prepare for human presence sometime in the next two decades.
The Mars rover Curiosity
The mission will land the rover with 10 instruments designed to search for evidence of elements needed to support life - namely, water and carbon-based materials - and to characterize life-limiting factors, such as the planet's radiation environment.
The Mars Odyssey orbiter
While NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter evaluated the radiation above Mars' atmosphere, the radiation environment on its surface has never been characterized. Current estimates of surface radiation rely on modeling of how the Mars' atmosphere probably affects energetic particles, but these models are unproven.
Mars scientists at work
Southwest research Institute (SwRI) led the development of the Radiation Assessment Detector, which will measure, for the first time, the radiation environment on the surface of Mars, measuring all the relevant energetic particle species originating from galactic cosmic rays, the Sun and other sources
To see superb 5 minute 24 second video of the Mars Curiosity rover in action just click on the link below. Has sound.
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BudlaGh1A0o
Credits: These are NASA/JPL images
Text by wikipedia
Video by YouTube
The Mars rover Curiosity
The mission will land the rover with 10 instruments designed to search for evidence of elements needed to support life - namely, water and carbon-based materials - and to characterize life-limiting factors, such as the planet's radiation environment.
The Mars Odyssey orbiter
While NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter evaluated the radiation above Mars' atmosphere, the radiation environment on its surface has never been characterized. Current estimates of surface radiation rely on modeling of how the Mars' atmosphere probably affects energetic particles, but these models are unproven.
Mars scientists at work
Southwest research Institute (SwRI) led the development of the Radiation Assessment Detector, which will measure, for the first time, the radiation environment on the surface of Mars, measuring all the relevant energetic particle species originating from galactic cosmic rays, the Sun and other sources
To see superb 5 minute 24 second video of the Mars Curiosity rover in action just click on the link below. Has sound.
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BudlaGh1A0o
Credits: These are NASA/JPL images
Text by wikipedia
Video by YouTube