Safe on Mars, Astrobiology Magazine “The National Research Council was tasked with evaluating the risks of landing humans safely to work on Mars. Their report highlights a number of unique […]
Missions & Hardware
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Polar / Alpine Expeditions
Mountaineering And Climbing On Mars
by Keith Cowing Originally published: JBIS, Vol. 57, pp.113-125, 2004 ABSTRACT Initial human missions to Mars will be a precious commodity wherein a maximum amount of information is gathered by […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
What Is Life – and How Do We Search for It in Other Worlds?
I need a “tricorder”—the convenient, hand-held device featured on Star Trek that can detect life forms even from orbit. Unfortunately, we don’t have a clue how a tricorder might work, since life […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
MARS-1 Humvee Rover Reaches Devon Island After Successful Crossing of Frozen Arctic Sea
The Mars Institute today announced that its MARS-1 Humvee rover has reached Devon Island in the Canadian high Arctic after successfully crossing the Wellington Channel, a 23 mile (37 km) […]
Posted inMissions & Hardware
Pioneer 10 Sends Its Last Message Home
After more than 30 years, it appears the venerable Pioneer 10 spacecraft has sent its last signal to Earth. Pioneer’s last, very weak signal was received on Jan. 22, 2003.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Discoveries about life on Earth inspire Beagle 2
The nineteenth century spirit of discovery is inspiring the effort to land the first probe on Mars in the twenty first century. Last week, as if to give the inspiration […]
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Astrogeology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Sample Return
A Year of Mars News: It was the worst of times; it was the best of times.
Mars Disappoints A little over a year ago NASA was poised on the cusp of a new phase in its exploration of Mars. A new sophisticated orbiter was ready to […]
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware
Mars, Like Earth, is not a Simple Planet to Understand
(Editor’s note: originally published on NASAWatch.com) Today, a group of scientists sat before the world on TV and said “I don’t know”; “I am confused”; and “I laid awake at […]
Posted inMissions & Hardware, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Policy, Sample Return, Status Report
NASA Policy Directive: NPD 8020.7E Biological Contamination Control for Outbound and Inbound Planetary Spacecraft
POLICY DIRECTIVEDirective: NPD 8020.7EEffective Date: February 19, 1999Expiration Date: February 19, 2004Responsible Office: S /Office of Space Science
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
Viking 1 Examines Martian Soil
Operations have begun at the Viking landing site to dig foot-deep trench in the Martian soil and distribute samples to three instruments.