Space Scan

Opportunity and Spirit, have been gathering data since 2004 and did a splendid job in exploring the Red Planet. However, a series of Martian dust storms, which have lasted for almost a month, are making their survival difficult. These dust storms have shadowed the Sun for some time, therefore hindering the power generating capacity of batteries, which solely rely on solar energy. On Tuesday, July 17, the output from Opportunity’s solar panels dropped to 148 watts hours, the lowest point for either rover. Before the dust storm begun, blocking the sunlight, last month, solar panels were producing 700 watt per hour – enough for efficient working of a rover. When the dust storm reduced it below 400-watt hour, the rover team suspended most observations, including use of robotic arm, cameras and spectrometers to study the site where Opportunity is located. Worse can happen, if these dust storms continue for another several days or weeks as rovers will not be able to generate enough energy, leaving one or both rovers permanently disabled. NASA engineers are trying their best to take protective measures to protect the rovers, especially Opportunity, which is experiencing stronger impact of these storms. Whereas, the Spirit is located in a region, where storms are less sever. Steve Squyers of Cornell University, leading scientist of the Mars exploration Rover Project was one of the most concerned person and no doubt worried about the survival of the rover twins. However, still he has much more to do even after he loses these rovers. Whatever we do, though, the problem is not going to get much better rapidly, Squyres said. I think that we have a good chance. If Mars really wants to kill these vehicles it can, but we have many things working in our favor. Now, everybody at NASA is waiting as to when the dust storms will scatter as there is no strong prediction about these storms.

From the dawn of humankind, the need to explore has driven expansion across the planet. Today this expansion continues towards other planets in the solar system by means of robotic spacecrafts. In this series of exploration for the clues of life, Mars stands at the top, as it’s the only planet having similar features like Earth. Until now, studies show the presence of gigantic polar ice caps and wispy white clouds on Mars. NASA, no doubt is leading in this quest of missions to the Red planet. From the sixties, it is having an eye to gather samples in order to get better information and signs of life on Mars, which up to some extend, has been accomplished by collecting samples by rovers on the surface of Mars. Furthermore, Urey, Mars Organic and oxidant detector, chosen by the European Space Agency as a part of ExoMars mission in 2013 is another important step towards this aim. The multibillion-dollar Mars sample return program was given main consideration at the Seventh International Conference on Mars, held here on July 9-13 at the California Institute of Technology. Scientists and researchers have always maintained that it will provide better opportunity to study atmospheric conditions and organic life on Mars if samples can be made available in the laboratories on Earth. However, if Alen Stern is optimistic for the success of this program, some others are having doubts and dilemmas about its cost complexities as it may require a huge amount of money ranging between $3 billion to $4 billion, which can affect other Mars missions decided by NASA in the upcoming years. Stern is determined to make it a success and asking Government and every institute to concentrate on development and modification of catching rovers. For this purpose, Stern is backing nuclear-powered Mars science laboratory and had asked a tiger team at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, to design sample-catching gear for Mars Science Laboratory. He also requested ESA to add sample-catching equipment to their ExoMars mission. Stern said that we could hope to accomplish our mission in 2018-2019 periods. He further emphasized that it will be worth using the 46% of the total budget issued for NASA’s Mars exploration mission. With great seriousness, Stern said, I want to get serious about Mars sample return and this is the way to do it, Stern said. This has been going on all my life, waiting for Mars sample return and it never gets there. We’re going to do a pragmatic, but competent sample return. Looking at NASA’s such aspiration and availability of technology we can hope that they will create history till 2018, which Stern says is enough time period for his Comprehensive sample return mission.

Scientists from all over the world have left no stone unturned to explore clues of biological life on planets outside our solar system. However, right now, the focus is on Mars, which has showed some signs of supporting life. In its latest series of Mars Exploration, NASA is all set to launch a robotic spacecraft called Phoenix Mars Lander from Florida’s Cape Canaveral on Friday, August 3. Phoenix will probe deep down the surface of Mars in order to look out for sings of water and weather conditions on the planet. After its 423-million-mile trip, the Phoenix spacecraft will land on the planet’s northern arctic plains, analyzing soil and ice to see if it could support microbial life. An 8-foot arm, made of aluminum and titanium, will scoop up the soil unto 20 inches down and dump it into onboard science instruments. Managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena and built by Lockheed Martin, Phoenix cost $420 million compared to the hardy rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which cost $820 million to launch in 2003. It is a three months mission and will be the first to dig beneath the Martian surface since the Viking mission three decades ago. Hope, it survives the landing on the surface of the rocky, dusty red plane, famous to engulf 10 global attempts out of 15 to land a spacecraft. Viking orbiters sent on Mars in 1976 provided more than 50,000 photographs of the Martian surface with evidences of biological activity in the soil and presence of water on the Red Planet with a temperature below freezing point. Phoenix will land on a site where the previous Lander had shown the signs of water and believed to have an alien civilization. However, according to Renno, member of Phoenix science team, Phoenix may get minor resistance in collecting soil and ice samples from Martian windstorms up to 11 mph expected all the time on the site of landing. Contributing to the project are scientists from York, Alberta and Dalhousie universities as well as the Geological Survey of Canada, the Finnish Meteorological Institute and MDA Space Missions. Although, the mission is mainly intended to detect life supportive conditions and to understand water cycle on Mars, it can provide a huge data regarding the weather conditions and atmosphere if it successfully managed to land on the Red planet.

Several decades ago we were all excited about the moon and sending humans to the moon. Now, the Red planet, Mars has taken over the moon. Recently, the North American Space Agency planned it’s manned mission to Mars in near future during a meeting at Houston, Texas. The American space agency plans on sending a 6 to 7 month long manned mission to Mars sometime in 2031. This was done in tandem with President Bush’s program of returning humans to the moon. The NASA folks present at the meeting talked about how they can achieve this goal. The Mars space rig will weigh about 880,000 pounds. The Mars manned mission will cost NASA anything between $20bn to about $450bn. A chunk of the investment will go towards the newly developed Ares V rockets that NASA has built for the mission. I think that’s a huge investment on NASA’s part. Hopefully, they will make some cool discoveries during the 2031 mission. The space agency is working on developing new ways to protect it’s astronauts from harms way. Although, there’s no telling when danger will strike them in space. The ‘ship’ to Mars will be equipped with a ‘close loop’ life support system. The plan is to grow plants and feed the crew. Air and water will be recycled within the craft. However, many queries still remain and plenty of things need to be figured before NASA can promise it’s crew a safe journey to Mars and back. Image Credits: Rdfrights, Astronomy

In 2004, people saw comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 smacking into Jupiter. It was pretty cool. Now, scientists are even more excited that an asteroid speeding at 8 miles per second is on its way to hit planet Mars. Even though it is predicted that there is only 1 in 75 chances of hitting the Red Planet, this would leave a heck of a dent were it to hit. It allows scientists to get some good data and images with that they could study better about the planet. Named 2007 WD5, the asteroid is likely to hit Mars by the end of January next year. These are very hard to see and only very few observations are available to extrapolate its path. There are several orbital paths for the asteroid to travel, which includes the surface of the Mars. So if it hits, it has been predicted, it would get near to the equator, where rover Opportunity is traveling. The scientists have predicted that the collision would not affect the rover, since it will be on the back side of the planet when the asteroid hits the planet or passes by it. It is relatively easy to predict the date and time the asteroid will be at the planet but it’s hard to predict its actual trajectory. If it hits, it would definitely lead to a new advancement in space exploration.

In 2004, people saw comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 smacking into Jupiter. It was pretty cool. Now, scientists are even more excited that an asteroid speeding at 8 miles per second is on its way to hit planet Mars. Even though it is predicted that there is only 1 in 75 chances of hitting the Red Planet, this would leave a heck of a dent were it to hit. It allows scientists to get some good data and images with that they could study better about the planet. Named 2007 WD5, the asteroid is likely to hit Mars by the end of January next year. These are very hard to see and only very few observations are available to extrapolate its path. There are several orbital paths for the asteroid to travel, which includes the surface of the Mars. So if it hits, it has been predicted, it would get near to the equator, where rover Opportunity is traveling. The scientists have predicted that the collision would not affect the rover, since it will be on the back side of the planet when the asteroid hits the planet or passes by it. It is relatively easy to predict the date and time the asteroid will be at the planet but it’s hard to predict its actual trajectory. If it hits, it would definitely lead to a new advancement in space exploration.