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NASA
Course: NASA > Unit 3
Lesson 1: Mars: Modern exploration- Satellites 101
- GAME: Cruise to Mars
- INTERACT: Exploring orbits
- Mariner 4
- Mariner 9
- Viking mission
- Mars global surveyor
- Dry ice experiment
- Pathfinder
- Mars odyssey
- Mars express
- Martian methane
- Spirit & Opportunity
- Mars reconnaissance orbiter
- Modern discoveries
- INTERACT: Features of Mars
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Mars reconnaissance orbiter
Introduction
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter blasted off from Cape Canaveral in 2005, on a search for evidence that water existed on the surface of Mars for a long period of time. While other Mars missions have shown that water flowed across the surface in Mars' history, it remained a mystery whether surface water existed long enough to provide a habitat for life.
NASA designed MRO to produce extreme close-up photographs of the Martian surface, analyze minerals, look for subsurface water, trace the amount of dust and water distributed in the atmosphere, and monitor daily global weather. These studies have identified deposits of minerals that may have formed in water over long periods of time. Researchers are looking for evidence of shorelines of ancient seas and lakes, and analyzing deposits placed in layers over time by flowing water.
Findings
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter gave us an unprecedented birds-eye view of the Red Planet:
Visual evidence of flowing water
Mysterious features on slopes hint there could be water flows on Mars.
Dry ice and dunes
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captures the springtime thaw of seasonal carbon dioxide ice on Mars.
Subsurface ice discovery
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter revealed frozen water hiding just below the surface of mid-latitude Mars.
Dust devils
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Catches a Twister in Action.
Want to join the conversation?
- Will NASA send animals to the Martian planet before humans as they did in the first space mission :)(8 votes)
- Unlikely. The cost and time of building a life support system for an animal to live in on the 16 month journey to Mars in back is not really worth the effort. We might as well just keep working until a human can go.(9 votes)
- if theres water on mars why don't we see it? And why do we call it mars if it is real name is Martian(0 votes)
- Its real name is Mars. Martian is to Mars like English is to England or French is to France.(32 votes)
- Are there germs, bacteria and all other harmful stuff in Mars?(4 votes)
- Not that we know of. If any of those were actually found, it would be an amazing day because it would prove that there's life on other planets.(6 votes)
- if their wher micro organisms on mars couldnt the evolve and become intelegent beings(4 votes)
- About how much does it cost to send a rocket to Mars(2 votes)
- Is mars another Earth but smaller?(2 votes)
- When do organizations like NASA and SpaceX plan to colonize Mars?(1 vote)
- A non profit called Mars One plans to put I believe 20 colonist on mars in 2031(1 vote)
- well the inteligens that inventid tecnoligy ond pepol who are smart !XD(2 votes)
- Has NASA discovered any sure traces of life on mars?(2 votes)
- No, trust me if they find life (or traces of) on another planet, the tribes in the Amazon will know. It will be that big of a discovery. For now though, we wait.....(1 vote)
- how long will it take till i can live on mars!(2 votes)