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"We
have whole planets to explore, we have new worlds to build, we
have a solar system to roam in. And if only a tiny fraction of
the human race reaches out towards space, the work they do there
will totally change the lives of the billions who remain on Earth."
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Francis R. Scobee,
Commander, STS-51L, January 1986
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The Sands of Mars
A scoop of Martian regolith gathered
by the Phoenix Lander. Note the white patches - potentially
ice or salt - top right. Read
the full story
Phoenix Uncovers Evidence of Ice
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The Pheonix Lander might be sitting
on a pingo of ice.
The latest images sent to Earth reveal tantalising
glimpses of what looks like frozen water. Scientists
think the Phoenix Mars lander's descent engine may
have blown away a layer of dirt, exposing the ice.
The craft's robotic arm reached out and touched the
soil for the first time, leaving behind a striking,
footprint-like impression, they said on Sunday June
1st.
Read
more
Dr.
Tom Pike's Diary
NASA's
Phoenix Website
UoA's Phoenix
Website
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Mars and No Monkey Business...
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They won't utter Yuri Gagarin's famous phrase "Let's
go!" But the monkeys of Sochi have already proven
their worth as trailblazers in space - and now they
are being groomed for a trip to Mars.
The macaques will be the first to experience the
radiation that poses a big risk to astronauts - or
Russian cosmonauts - on any flight to the Red Planet.
Read
More |
MRO Captures Phobos
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Nasa's Mars Reconaissance Orbiter (MRO)
has captured two stunning images of the Red Planet's
major moon, Phobos.
Stickney Crater, a 9km (5.5 mile) -wide depression
that is the largest feature on Phobos dominates the
pictures.
Read
More |
Mars "Covered in Table Salt"
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Mars appears to be covered in salt crystals
from ancient dried-up lakes, new evidence suggests.
A Nasa probe has found signs that the southern hemisphere
is dusted with chloride mineral, perhaps "table
salt".
US scientists think the mineral formed when water
evaporated from salty lakes or soil billions of years
ago.
Read
More |
MRO "sees" Ice Deposits
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Large volumes of water ice have probably been detected
below Mars' surface, far from the planet's polar ice
caps, scientists have said.
The Sharad radar experiment, on Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance
Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft made the discovery in Mars'
mid-northern latitudes.
Read
More |
Early Mars "Too Salty" to Support
Life
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The Red Planet was too salty to sustain
life for much of its history, according to the latest
evidence gathered by one of the US rovers on Mars'
surface.
High concentration of minerals in water on early
Mars would have made it inhospitable to even the toughest
microbes, a leading Nasa expert says.
Read
More |
ExoMARS To Get New Name
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The boss of the European Space Agency has asked his
officials to find a new name for the flagship ExoMars
mission.
Jean Jacques Dordain said the rover concept had changed
so radically since first envisioned and costed that
it was really now a new venture.
Read
More |
Greenhouse Clue to Water on Mars
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A new idea could explain how the climate
of early Mars became warm enough to support oceans.
Scientists believe sulphur dioxide released from
ancient volcanoes created a balance similar to Earth's
carbon cycle, which controlled the climate.
Read
More |
NASA "To Support UK Moon Mission"
During a visit to the UK - his second during
his tenure as NASA Administrator (standing in marked contrast
to his predecessors), Dr. Mike Griffin has given open support
for a UK proposal to send a probe to the Moon. Further,
Dr. Griffin gave clear support for the idea of the UK finally
joining the "world's human space flight programme"
which will see a return to the Moon and missions to Mars.
Read
More
NASA Outlines Manned Mars Vision
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Nasa has released details of its strategy
for sending a human crew to Mars within the next few
decades. The US space agency envisages despatching
a "minimal" crew on a 30-month round trip
to the Red Planet in a 400,000kg spacecraft combined
with elements influenced by the Mars Socety's "Mars
Direct" mission profile.
Read
More |
A Martian Chronicle
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Dr. Tom Pike is a senior lecturer at
the Imperial College London, specialising in optical
and semiconductor devices. He is currently on secondment
to NASA's Phoenix Lander mission, which will be carrying
one of his instruments to Mars.
Dr. Pike is keeping a diary of his experiences on
the project, and in conjunction with BBC News Online,
we will be bringing you updates from his diary as
events unfold.
Read
More |
Mars Society Member Publishes Book
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Charles Frankel, volcanologist,
leading member of Association Planete Mars (France),
close friend of the Mars Society UK, and a driving
force behind Euro-MARS, has had his book on
the human exploration of Mars, "L'Homme
Sur Mars" published.
Looking at how future missions to Mars will
be carried out, the book combines the latest
thinking on Mars exploration coupled with a
fictionalised look at various aspects of the
mission from the astronaut's viewpoint coupled
with flashbacks to Charles' experiences as a
leading member of crews at both F-MARS and MDRS.
The text is in French, but the book is well
worth a look. Find it at: Amazon
(France)
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Mars Analogue Research Book Available
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August 6th: Univelt
Publishers have released 'Mars Analogue Research'
as volume 111 of the American Astronautical Society's
science and technology series . The book contains
a large collection of papers on Mars analogue field
research, including expeditions, field science, human
factors, education and outreach, engineering, and
a look at the European Mars Research Station project.
Edited by Dr. Jonathan Clarke of the Mars Society
Australia, the book represents the first peer-reviewed
collection of papers relating to worldwide Mars analogue
research studies being undertaken by the Mars Society
around the globe.
Copies can be ordered online through the publisher's
web
site. |
Mars and Space News Headlines
Current Mars Mission Coverage
Mars
Express - (ESA)
Mars Exploration
Rovers - (NASA JPL)
MER Special
Coverage - (Space.com)
Mars Global
Surveyor - (NASA JPL)
Mars
Odyssey - (NASA JPL)
Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter - (NASA JPL)
Mars Society Presentations
The
Mars Society UK is pleased to offer a range of talks on Mars exploration
and the Society's work. To obtain a Mars Society speaker at your
event, check out our talks and presentation
page. Booking is simple! |
Keep Up-to-date with Us
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