[meteorite-list] US mission touches down on Mars

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From: MexicoDoug_at_aol.com <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:57 2004
Message-ID: <1a2.1ed69312.2d28faa1_at_aol.com>

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>From the bbc:

US mission touches down on Mars




A US space probe has landed on Mars to seek signs that the planet was once
capable of supporting life. The six-wheeled rover Spirit parachuted down to the
planet's surface at about 0435 GMT on Sunday.

The rover sent back a radio signal shortly after touchdown which confirmed it
had survived the plunge through the Martian atmosphere.

The six-minute descent was the final and most daunting leg of the seven-month
voyage from Earth.

Spirit is one of a pair of rovers that will seek evidence for water on Mars.

Its twin, Opportunity, will touch down on the other side of Mars in late
January. The rovers will roam the planet and examine rocks in a three-month
mission to map out the history of water on Mars.

'High anxiety'

Nasa has installed a system on the rover to communicate information about the
progress of its fiery fall through the Martian atmosphere.

 US MARS ROVERS

Spirit targeted at Gusev Crater, possible ancient lake feature
Opportunity to land at Meridiani Planum, which contains minerals often
associated with water
Spirit and Opportunity weigh about 17 times as much as the 1997 Sojourner
rover


A series of tones told controllers that the vehicle's parachute and landing
airbags had deployed properly.

A few minutes later they received a signal that the probe had survived the
six-minute plunge through the Martian atmosphere.

The landing sequence took the spacecraft from 19,000 km/h (12,000 mph) to a
complete stop in six minutes, and had to be executed flawlessly.

"Mars is an incredibly difficult place to land... some call it the death
planet," Ed Weiler, Nasa's associate administrator for space science, said.

Steve Squyres, a principal scientist on the mission, added: "One gust of
wind, one sharp pointy rock and we could have a really bad night."

Field geologist

Spirit is heading for the Gusev Crater, just south of the Martian equator,
which may once have held a lake.

The rovers are equipped with tools to study a diverse array of rocks and
soil types


The rover, the size of a small car, is crammed with cameras and scientific
instruments designed to study the geology of the area.

It will roll up to interesting rocks, grind out a sample and analyse the
minerals.

The mission is not looking directly for life on Mars; the aim is to
understand past conditions on the planet to assess whether it could have supported
life.

Today, Mars is dry and cold. But ancient river channels and other
water-carved features seen from orbit suggest the planet may have had a more hospitable
past.

"We see these intriguing hints Mars may have been a different place long
ago," Dr Squyres said.

Independent scrutiny

Shortly after coming to rest on the planet's surface, the lander will do a
systems check and relay engineering information to Earth.

 I don't know what else we can do to ensure success. It's up to Mars now

Ed Weiler, Nasa


The first picture sent back should show the wheels of the rover; later
pictures will scan the landing pad and surrounding terrain.

Commission checks will last a week before the rover rolls off the pad to
start work.

After the failure in 1999 of Nasa's Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate
Orbiter, the agency opened the rover project to independent scrutiny.

Outside auditors have studied every detail in the plans, looking for any
flaws which might scupper the mission.

Ed Weiler said everything had been done that was humanly possibly to design
the rover mission for success.

"I don't know what else we can do to ensure success. It's up to Mars now," he
said.

The European Space Agency is still searching for the missing British-built
Beagle 2.

The probe was supposed to land on Mars on Christmas Day but never sent back a
signal to confirm it had arrived safely.




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<HTML><HTML> 
>From the bbc: 
 
US mission touches down on Mars 
 
 
 
<IMG SRC=3D"http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39690000/jpg/_39690241_ro=
ventry_nasa_203.jpg" WIDTH=3D"203" HEIGHT=3D"152" BORDER=3D"0" DATASIZE=3D"8=
993"> 
 
A US space probe has landed on Mars to seek signs that the planet was onc=
e capable of supporting life. The six-wheeled rover Spirit parachuted do=
wn to the planet's surface at about 0435 GMT on Sunday. 
 
The rover sent back a radio signal shortly after touchdown which confirmed i=
t had survived the plunge through the Martian atmosphere. 
 
The six-minute descent was the final and most daunting leg of the seven-mont=
h voyage from Earth. 
 
Spirit is one of a pair of rovers that will seek evidence for water on Mars.=
 
 
Its twin, Opportunity, will touch down on the other side of Mars in late Jan=
uary. The rovers will roam the planet and examine rocks in a three-month mis=
sion to map out the history of water on Mars. 
 
'High anxiety' 
 
Nasa has installed a system on the rover to communicate information about th=
e progress of its fiery fall through the Martian atmosphere. 
 
<IMG SRC=3D"http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" WIDTH=3D"5" HEIGHT=
=3D"1" BORDER=3D"0" DATASIZE=3D"43"> US MARS ROVERS 
<IMG SRC=3D"http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39690000/jpg/_39690261_ro=
ver_nasa_203.jpg" WIDTH=3D"203" HEIGHT=3D"152" BORDER=3D"0" DATASIZE=3D"1824=
1"> 
Spirit targeted at Gusev Crater, possible ancient lake feature 
Opportunity to land at Meridiani Planum, which contains minerals often assoc=
iated with water 
Spirit and Opportunity weigh about 17 times as much as the 1997 Sojourner ro=
ver 
 
 
A series of tones told controllers that the vehicle's parachute and landing=20=
airbags had deployed properly. 
 
A few minutes later they received a signal that the probe had survived the s=
ix-minute plunge through the Martian atmosphere. 
 
The landing sequence took the spacecraft from 19,000 km/h (12,000 mph) to a=20=
complete stop in six minutes, and had to be executed flawlessly. 
 
"Mars is an incredibly difficult place to land... some call it the death pla=
net," Ed Weiler, Nasa's associate administrator for space science, said. <BR=
>
 
Steve Squyres, a principal scientist on the mission, added: "One gust of win=
d, one sharp pointy rock and we could have a really bad night." 
 
Field geologist 
 
Spirit is heading for the Gusev Crater, just south of the Martian equator, w=
hich may once have held a lake. 
 
<IMG SRC=3D"http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39690000/jpg/_39690987_ro=
vwheel_nasa_203.jpg" WIDTH=3D"203" HEIGHT=3D"152" BORDER=3D"0" DATASIZE=3D"1=
2488"> The rovers are equipped with tools to study a diverse array of rocks=20=
and soil types 
 
 
The rover, the size of a small car, is crammed with cameras and scientific i=
nstruments designed to study the geology of the area. 
 
It will roll up to interesting rocks, grind out a sample and analyse the min=
erals. 
 
The mission is not looking directly for life on Mars; the aim is to understa=
nd past conditions on the planet to assess whether it could have supported l=
ife. 
 
Today, Mars is dry and cold. But ancient river channels and other water-carv=
ed features seen from orbit suggest the planet may have had a more hospitabl=
e past. 
 
"We see these intriguing hints Mars may have been a different place long ago=
," Dr Squyres said. 
 
Independent scrutiny 
 
Shortly after coming to rest on the planet's surface, the lander will do a s=
ystems check and relay engineering information to Earth. 
 
<IMG SRC=3D"http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" WIDTH=3D"5" HEIGHT=
=3D"1" BORDER=3D"0" DATASIZE=3D"43"> <IMG SRC=3D"http://newsimg.bbc.co.u=
k/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif" WIDTH=3D"24" HEIGHT=3D"13" BORDER=
=3D"0" DATASIZE=3D"180"> I don't know what else we can do to ensure succe=
ss. It's up to Mars now <IMG SRC=3D"http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img=
/v3/end_quote_rb.gif" WIDTH=3D"23" HEIGHT=3D"13" BORDER=3D"0" DATASIZE=3D"17=
7"> 
 
 
Ed Weiler, Nasa 
 
 
The first picture sent back should show the wheels of the rover; later pictu=
res will scan the landing pad and surrounding terrain. 
 
Commission checks will last a week before the rover rolls off the pad to sta=
rt work. 
 
After the failure in 1999 of Nasa's Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate Orbit=
er, the agency opened the rover project to independent scrutiny. 
 
Outside auditors have studied every detail in the plans, looking for any fla=
ws which might scupper the mission. 
 
Ed Weiler said everything had been done that was humanly possibly to design=20=
the rover mission for success. 
 
"I don't know what else we can do to ensure success. It's up to Mars now," h=
e said. 
 
The European Space Agency is still searching for the missing British-built B=
eagle 2. 
 
The probe was supposed to land on Mars on Christmas Day but never sent back=20=
a signal to confirm it had arrived safely. 
 
 
 
 
</HTML>
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Received on Sun 04 Jan 2004 12:12:01 AM PST

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