Three more missions to Mars planned
November 24th, 2011 - 11:59 pm ICT by IANSMumbai, Nov 24 (IANS) After the latest mission takes off Saturday, NASA is planning to send three more missions to Mars, with the next one scheduled in 2013, according to a top scientist.
The next mission will be named Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN), Amitabha Ghosh, of the ensuing mission’s Landing Site Characterisation Team, for Phoenix and Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) said in a statement.
It would be followed up with an Extromars Trace Gas Orbiter in 2017, and possibly, a Mars Sample Return, sometime between 2017-2027.
The latest mission starts Saturday when a nuclear-powered Rover will start on a 9-month celestial journey to Mars to investigate whether it has a habitable environment.
The $2.50 billion MSL will be launched aboard an unmanned United Space Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, around 8 p.m. (IST), from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, near Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, Ghosh said.
In the past 15 years, there were seven other missions to the red planet, starting with Mars Pathfinder, 1997, when observations suggested that early Mars was more Earth like with liquid water and thicker atmosphere.
Mars Global Surveyor (1996-2006) found ancient deltas, channels of iron oxide at the landing site, carried out a global map of the planet’s topography, which showed evidence that Mars once had a magnetic field that shielded its surface from cosmic rays and slowed the loss of volatiles.
Then followed the Mars Odyssey (2001 till date) which showed evidence of frozen water in the top layers of soil at the north and south poles and identified sites for subsequent missions.
Later, MER (Spirit) and MER (Opportunity) were launched which discovered goethite, hydrated sulfate salts, a carbonate outcrop and evidence of hot springs or steam vents, water rich clay minerals, and presence of a sulfur-rich material indicated acidic watery environment.
In 2005 till date, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter returned with a phenomenal amount of data, found extensive deposits of water-related minerals, thick deposits of carbon dioxide ice buried in the south polar cap.
The 2007-2008 Phoenix Mars Lander confirmed deposits of water ice detected by a previous mission, Mars Odyssey, observed falling snow and found percholate, a compound that lowers freezing point of water.
- NASA to launch new mission to Mars Saturday - Nov 24, 2011
- NASA declares Phoenix Mars lander dead - May 25, 2010
- NASA's Mars Orbiter completes 5-yr mark - Mar 10, 2011
- NASA's Odyssey spacecraft sets exploration record on Mars - Dec 16, 2010
- NASA's Odyssey spacecraft becomes Mars' longest-staying guest - Dec 16, 2010
- NASA's Odyssey orbiter to pass Martian career longevity record - Dec 10, 2010
- Scientists find signs of flowing water on Mars - Aug 05, 2011
- 'Missing carbon' may explain reduced density of Mars' atmosphere - Mar 09, 2011
- Carbon dioxide frost consigns Phoenix Mars Lander to history - May 25, 2010
- Hot springs on Mars may have nourished life - Nov 04, 2011
- Martian weather report reveals ice and fog near surface - Mar 18, 2011
- NASA spacecraft detects significant changes in Mars' atmosphere - Apr 22, 2011
- Martian meteorites suggest collision with Red planet caused water flow - Feb 03, 2011
- Conditions favourable to life existed throughout Mars - Jun 25, 2010
- NASA's Mars rovers set new longevity record - May 20, 2010
Tags: cape canaveral air force station, celestial journey, clay minerals, global surveyor, habitable environment, journey to mars, kennedy space centre, layers of soil, mars atmosphere, mars odyssey, mars pathfinder, mars sample return, mars science, odyssey 2001, rich clay, steam vents, sulfate salts, united space alliance, volatile evolution, watery environment