[meteorite-list] Mars Rover's 'Gagarin' Moment Applauded Exploration

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:32:18 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201104131832.p3DIWIjN017576_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-114

Mars Rover's 'Gagarin' Moment Applauded Exploration
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
April 11, 2011

A flat, light-toned rock on Mars visited by NASA's Mars Exploration
Rover in 2005 informally bears the name of the first human in space,
Yuri Gagarin, who rode into orbit in the Soviet Union's Vostok-1
spacecraft on April 12, 1961.

The team using Opportunity to explore the Meridiani Planum region of
Mars since 2004 chose "Gagarin" for what they would call the rock that
the rover examined beside "Vostok" crater. A target for close-up
examination on Gagarin is called "Yuri."

To commemorate Gagarin's flight, a color image of the rock on Mars has
been posted at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA13984. The
image combines frames taken through three different filters by
Opportunity's panoramic camera.

Early accomplishments in the Space Age inspired many of the researchers
exploring other planets robotically today, who hope their work can, in
turn, help inspire the next generation.

"The 50th anniversary of mankind's first fledgling foray into the cosmos
should serve as an important reminder of the spirit of adventure and
exploration that has propelled mankind throughout history," said Mars
rover science team member James Rice of NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center, Greenbelt, Md. "We are a species of explorers; it is encoded
into our very DNA."

Rice continued, "Half a century ago Yuri Gagarin was lofted into a
totally unknown, remote and hostile environment and in doing so opened
up a new limitless frontier of possibilities for mankind. A mere 23 days
later another brave human, Alan Shepard, climbed aboard a rocket and
ventured into the starry abyss. Their courage and vision continue to
inspire and lead us into the unknown. Hopefully, one day in the not too
distant future it will lead humanity on a voyage to Mars."

Opportunity and its twin, Spirit, completed their three-month prime
missions on Mars in April 2004. Both rovers continued in years of bonus,
extended missions. Both have made important discoveries about wet
environments on ancient Mars that may have been favorable for supporting
microbial life. Spirit has not communicated with Earth since March 2010.
Opportunity remains active. This month, it has passed both the
27-kilometer and 17-mile marks in its total driving distance on Mars.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute
of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project
for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. For more
information about the rovers, see http://www.nasa.gov/rovers.

Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster at jpl.nasa.gov

2011-114
Received on Wed 13 Apr 2011 02:32:18 PM PDT