Mars on earth!

[alokmohan]

NASA engineers and astronauts prepare to explore the moon and Mars, they first need to practice on Earth. One of the best tools they can use is materials to simulate the soil, or regolith, they will land on. For the first time, lunar and Martian simulants are now also available to the public. Madison, Wisconsin (PRWEB) October 26, 2007 -- As NASA engineers and astronauts prepare to explore the moon and Mars, they first need to practice on Earth. One of the best tools they can use is materials to simulate the soil, or regolith, they will land on. <br /><br />Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) has been working with NASA since 2005 on the development of improved lunar and Martian soil simulants. This year alone they have delivered over 45,000 pounds of lunar regolith simulant, known as JSC-1A, and Martian soil simulant, known as JSC-Mars-1A, to engineers and scientists studying mining equipment, robotic vehicles, next generation space suits, habitats, plant growth and dust mitigation. <br /><br />Along the way, they have also been contacted by over 100 studentshttp://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=23898<br />

 

[fatal291]

IMO they're rushing to the moon and mars a bit to me.. We still have oceans very undiscovered. Well anyways how can i apply?

 

[mooware]

<b>IMO they're rushing to the moon </b><br /><br />The last person to go to the moon was in December of 1972. If we keep the current track for sending humans back, it will be 2018. I would imagine though it would be more like 2020 or 2022<br /><br />Yep, 46 to 50 years seems a bit rushed.

 

[3488]

Thank you alokmohan.<br /><br />Can you repost the link, as it does not appear to work.<br /><br />Somehow you got the word <font color="yellow">students</font>attached to the http on the front of your link.<br /><br />Interesting subject though.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

remove the "students" at the beginning. He always forgets the space before the http:// starts, which is why his links never work. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[pyoko]

In my opinion, the Australian desert is the best place to simulate Mars. It literally looks like Mars in almost every way. Red, fine soil, with small rocks littering the place everywhere. I rode through it once on a train. Made a pit stop, got out, and almost died. Heat wave hit me pretty hard, and the flies ate me alive. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p><span style="color:#ff9900" class="Apple-style-span">-pyoko</span> <span style="color:#333333" class="Apple-style-span">the</span> <span style="color:#339966" class="Apple-style-span">duck </span></p><p><span style="color:#339966" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="color:#808080;font-style:italic" class="Apple-style-span">It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.</span></span></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

But you just outlined the reasons why it is not Mars-like.<br /><br />Heat, bugs.... none on Mars.<br /><br />The best place on earth is clearly Antarctica's dry areas.<br /><br />Comparable temperatures, desertlike, and difficult to get supplies to. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Of course MeteorWayne,<br /><br />I'm just being a bit Doh <img src="/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> .<br /><br />Very interesting article.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

True,<br /><br />But even the Dry Valleys of Antarctica are still warmer than the global averages on Mars, let alone<br />the atmosphere & gravity are both well in excess of what Mars can conjure up.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

But it is the closest we can come to on earth. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

in reply to<br />--------------<br />But it is the closest we can come to on earth. <br />--------------<br /><br />Mmm, not sure. Go at 30km of altitude and you will get about 0.01 bar and 230K. And few bugs. So it's not on earth but it's on Earth.<br /><br />Regards.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Yeah, but we can't run long term experiments at 30 km altitude. <br />I'm talking about a place on the earth's surface that duplicates as much as possible the environment.<br /><br />Perhaps a dry mountaintop (the south american desert) would be as good. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

Attaching an experiment to a weather balloon is not indeed a real long term experiment, but can't it help?

 

[dragon04]

NASA is doing a lot of stuff up in sub-Arctic Canada in relation to Mars.<br /><br />Admittedly, it's not as cold as Antarctica, but it's more accessible, and not so harsh to prohibit ongoing operations. IOW, it's more logistically favorable.<br /><br />And it's a plus that it's closer than Antarctica. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[kosmonavtkaa]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p><font color="orange">In my opinion, the Australian desert is the best place to simulate Mars. It literally looks like Mars in almost every way. Red, fine soil, with small rocks littering the place everywhere. I rode through it once on a train. Made a pit stop, got out, and almost died. Heat wave hit me pretty hard, and the flies ate me alive.</font>p><hr /></p></blockquote><br /><br />Wikipedia photo of desert sand near Alice Springs - couldn't get much redder! <br /><br />The heat and flies wouldn't be much of a problem if the Mars simulators are wearing spacesuits when venturing outside - unless the spacesuits are just pretend ones?<br /><br />"One time, at Mars camp": rather funny article about a stay at the Mars Desert Research Station. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[dragon04]

<font color="yellow">The heat and flies wouldn't be much of a problem if the Mars simulators are wearing spacesuits when venturing outside - unless the spacesuits are just pretend ones?</font><br /><br />It would be much easier to insulate against -30C than air condition against 40C. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />And we know that Mars is not warm. We won't need air-conditioned space suits on Mars anytime soon. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>