Microfossils in meteorite from Mars.
Posted on 05/27/2002 4:23:27 PM PDT by blam
Nasa to head for Mars after water is found everywhere
By Rupert Cornwell, in Washington
27 May 2002
NASA IS poised to announce its firmest plans yet to send men to Mars within 20 years, following the stunning discovery of huge quantities of water-ice close to the planet's surface.
The presence of frozen water is the main finding sent to Earth by the joint US-Russian Odyssey spacecraft, which entered Martian orbit in October 2001. In a paper for the journal Science, two scientists in Los Alamos involved with the mission will present evidence that ice lies about a metre beneath the surface over a large area.
There were "features that suggest water, or something like water, everywhere," Bob Reedy, one of the authors, told the Albuquerque Journal last week. "Yet today there's no water on the surface. Where did all that water go?"
This week Jim Garvin, the head of the US space agency's Mars exploration programme is expected to announce that, on the basis of the existence of accessible water on the planet, his agency is aiming to make a manned landing there within the next 20 years.
The lack of water has long been a huge obstacle to men carrying out the nine-month, 40-million-mile journey to Mars. But confirmation of the buried icepacks could solve the problem – as well as rekindle the debate about whether life existed there.
The discovery of water was made by gamma-ray and neutron spectrometers which measure gamma-ray emanations and other evidence of the presence of hydrogen. Scientists believe the hydrogen is locked inside crystals of ice. The paper submitted by Mr Reedy and his colleague Bill Feldman will provide the most detailed map yet of the chemical composition of Mars' surface.
Water would provide not only drinking supplies. The hydrogen inside could be extracted to provide fuel for a spacecraft's return journey.
So, I think Russian astronauts from Siberia should be contracted out by NASA to do the landing.
According to the eco-wackos, us earthlings are already experts at causing planet ice to melt.
Microfossils in meteorite from Mars.
"You're blowing my cover! I tell you, there is water on Mars! I'm a secret agent! They will kill you all!"
There are recently released contracts to develope UAVs to do low level recon flights above the Martian surface.
May not be a manned landing but each of these little critters could return up to one hour of high resolution, color video shot as low as ten meters above the surface while limping along at up to 300 knots.
These UAVs are to be ready for launch before 43 faces reelection.
I for sure wont make it but surely it will be our second step taken into space.
Yup. I remember in the 50's when I was just 'spell-bound' with anything associated with space....then the moon landing in '69 (wow!).
Except the ice gives her a potentially unlimited supply of fuel to get home.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.