Science channel on Mars MRO reconnaisance orbiter

[newtonian]

Revealing Mars – 2006 episode Science channel<br /><br />Also today: <br /><br />Cosmos, Carl Sagan – Warnings based on standard model cosmic evolution scenarios and species limitations<br /><br />Riddle of the Polar Sky – 2006 episode on the mysteries of the northern lights<br /><br />Building the ultimate – challenges in designing massive structures – compare the structures I hypothesized in my surviving red giant phase thread<br /><br />These will repeat, btw.<br /><br />Now some notes on MRO – Mar’s reconnaissance orbiter:<br /><br />Rovers on the prowl – Was there or is there life on Mars<br /><br />MRO <br />Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter – Most powerful camera ever launched to another planet.<br /><br />450 million dollars<br /><br />NASA oversees at Pasadena, California<br /><br />Primary goal – finding life on Mars<br /><br />Mar’s climate sounder – atmospheric observations<br /><br />CRISM – spectrometer – what surface is made odf<br /><br />Another instrument to penetrate into surface to see what is underneath.<br /><br />Since 1999 Mar’s global surveyor has finished 20,000 orbits<br /><br />Odyssey<br /><br />Mar’s express subsurface radar, etc. – detected water ice miles beneath surface???<br /><br />Two geologists on surface. Rovers spirit and opportunity.<br /><br />Pictures sent back revealing water once flowed<br /><br /><br />______________<br /><br />I'm watching now.<br /><br />Anyone want to comment on any new findings from this space telescope along with other instrumentation?

 

[brellis]

My $64k question: can HiRise take rapid-fire pics of gullies? Maybe we could see water flowing... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[newtonian]

brellis - Sounds like it - since it can resolve rocks the size of a basketball, and note color variations.<br /><br />That is one of the priorities of the space mission - finding evidence of water (and life).<br /><br />More Notes:<br /><br />Could this barren wasteland ever have supported life?<br /><br />Probed for water – Spirit landed in Eagle crater – shocking newss:<br /><br />Rocks here were once soaked in water – there was flowing water.<br /><br />MRO orbiting 200 miles above surface.<br /><br />High Rise camera – detect rocks size of basketball – red or green color can show effects of hot water on rocks.<br /><br />CTX – Context imager - camera lower resolution, but as good as the best previous resolution. – overall color variations – showing what Rovers show but globally.<br /><br />By two simultaneous pictures from two cameras, a 3-d resulting composite picture results.<br /><br />Rocks soaked by hidden hydrothermal deposits.<br /><br />Mapping molecule proportion through spectral analysis of surface – compares earth based observations both from a plane and from surface field spectrometers + computer analysis.<br /><br />More than a million spectra per second.<br /><br />Similar spectral analysis now being done over Mars by MRO CRISM.<br /><br />Data confirmed on the ground – future missions will send rovers, etc., to confirm CRISM’s findings.<br /><br />Can anyone link to CRISM’s findings so far?<br /><br />Mapping water and dust in atmosphere, and probing far beneath into mantle (after commercial, btw.!).<br /> <br />Good pictures<br /><br />Next planned mission – summer 2007 – lander to Mar’s polar cap examing ice rich soil – on North pole. South pole previous lander was lost on landing, btw.<br /><br />Portable miniature oven and laboratory – <br /><br />MSL 2009 Mars science laboratory – looking for evidence of organic matter – can drive more than 20 miles – heavier and harder to land safely.<br /><br />This rover slowed by retrorockets and then lowered by cables, which are cut at lan

 

[newtonian]

Still watching - more notes:<br /><br />Winds at surface average 80 mph<br /><br />95% [? - may have misheard] CO2 atmosphere still too thin to trap heat of sun.<br /><br />How has Mar’s climate changed over time.<br /><br />MARCY – Mar’s color imager – weather maps, environmental changes at the surface – examine variations of ozone!!!<br /><br />MCS Mar’s climate sounder – vertical and horizontal planes – noting solar radiation, etc.<br /><br />Infrared observations.<br /><br />Rapid development of dust storms.<br /><br />Mar’s global surveyor shows overwhelming effect of dust storms on surfaces – movies – excellent!!<br /><br />How do these storms get started – why some storms stay small while others become huge.<br /><br />MRO – sub<br /><br />SHURAD (shallow subsurface radar) - subsurface radar observations<br /><br />32’ radar – not as deep as 5 KM global surveyor observations which already show some evidence of subsurface water or ice.<br /><br />After commercial: future missions.