http://www.marsnews.com/ en-us tourdemars@marsnews.com Copyright 2011 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:22:53 -0800 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:07:55 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.2 tourdemars@marsnews.com 60 Observations from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have revealed possible flowing water during the warmest months on Mars. "NASA's Mars Exploration Program keeps bringing us closer to determining whether the Red Planet could harbor life in some form,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said, “and it reaffirms Mars as an important future destination for human exploration." Dark, finger-like features appear and extend down some Martian slopes during late spring through summer, fade in winter, and return during the next spring. Repeated observations have tracked the seasonal changes in these recurring features on several steep slopes in the middle latitudes of Mars' southern hemisphere. "The best explanation for these observations so far is the flow of briny water," said Alfred McEwen of the University of Arizona, Tucson. McEwen is the principal investigator for the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) and lead author of a report about the recurring flows published in Thursday's edition of the journal Science. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2011/08/04/nasa_spacecraft_data_suggest_water_flowing_on_mars.html Life on Mars Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:22:53 -0800 Plants on distant hospitable planets could have developed black foliage and flowers to survive, according to a new study. Flora that would appear black or grey to human eyes could have evolved on planets orbiting dim "red dwarf" stars, according to unpublished research that is being presented at the National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno, Wales. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2011/04/20/black_plants_could_grow_on_exoplanets_with_two_suns.html Life on Mars Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:49:44 -0800 More than 30 years after NASA's Viking landers found no evidence for organic materials on Mars, scientists say a new experiment on Mars-like soil shows Viking did, in fact, hit pay dirt. The new study was prompted by the August 2008 discovery of powerful oxygen-busting compounds known as perchlorates at the landing site of another Mars probe called Phoenix. Scientists repeated a key Viking experiment using perchlorate-enhanced soil from Chile's Atacama Desert, which is considered one of the driest and most Mars-like places on Earth, and found telltale fingerprints of combusted organics -- the same chemicals Viking scientists dismissed as contaminants from Earth. "Contrary to 30 years of perceived wisdom, Viking did detect organic materials on Mars," planetary scientist Christopher McKay, with NASA's Ames Research Center in California, told Discovery News. "It's like a 30-year-old cold case suddenly solved with new facts." http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2011/01/07/viking_found_organics_on_mars_experiment_confirms.html Life on Mars Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:51:21 -0800 Samples of Mars dirt collected by NASA's Viking Mars landers back in the 1970s may have contained carbon-based chemical building blocks of life as we know it, a new study suggests. During their missions, the two Viking landers vaporized Martian dirt and scrutinized the samples for signs of organic - or carbon-based - molecules that could serve as the raw ingredients for life. At the time, all they found were chlorine compounds attributed to contamination, but the new research suggests the Viking probes' heat-treatment may have generated these chlorine compounds from naturally occurring Martian organics, destroying them in the process. "This doesn't say anything about the question of whether or not life has existed on Mars, but it could make a big difference in how we look for evidence to answer that question," study co-author Chris McKay, of NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., said in a statement. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/09/14/building_blocks_for_life_on_mars_possibly_seen_by_viking_probes_study_suggests.html Life on Mars Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:52:51 -0800 A lake in Argentina's remote, inhospitable northwest may offer clues on how life got started on Earth and how it could survive on other planets, scientists say. Researchers have found millions of "super" bacteria thriving inside the oxygen-starved Lake Diamante, in the center of a giant volcanic crater located over 15,400 feet above sea level. The bacteria's habitat is similar to primitive earth, before living and breathing organisms began wrapping a protective atmosphere of oxygen around the planet. The conditions -- which include high arsenic and alkaline levels -- could also shed light on life beyond Earth. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/08/12/argentine_lake_may_offer_clues_to_life_on_mars.html Planetology Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:10:16 -0800 A geological map, created using data from a plethora of orbiting spacecraft, presents new evidence that lakes persisted early in Mars' history. The map focuses on Hellas Planitia, an area located in the planet's southern hemisphere that is well known for its giant impact basin – the Hellas basin – which spans over 2,000 kilometres in diameter and plunges to a depth of eight kilometres. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/06/09/geological_map_points_to_ancient_seas_on_mars.html Life on Mars Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:05:09 -0800 A new discovery of bacterial life in a Martian-like environment on Earth suggests our neighboring red planet could also be hospitable to some form of microbial life. Researchers found methane-eating bacteria that appear to be thriving in a unique spring called Lost Hammer on Axel Heiberg Island in the extreme north of Canada. This spring is similar to possible past or present springs on Mars, the scientists say, so it hints that microbial life could potentially exist there, too. There is no firm evidence that Mars does or ever did host life, however. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/06/09/extreme_life_on_earth_could_survive_on_mars_too.html Life on Mars Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:04:22 -0800 Rocks examined by NASA's Spirit Mars Rover hold evidence of a wet, non-acidic ancient environment that may have been favorable for life. Confirming this mineral clue took four years of analysis by several scientists. An outcrop that Spirit examined in late 2005 revealed high concentrations of carbonate, which originates in wet, near-neutral conditions, but dissolves in acid. The ancient water indicated by this find was not acidic. NASA's rovers have found other evidence of formerly wet Martian environments. However the data for those environments indicate conditions that may have been acidic. In other cases, the conditions were definitely acidic, and therefore less favorable as habitats for life. Laboratory tests helped confirm the carbonate identification. The findings were published online Thursday, June 3 by the journal Science. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/06/04/nasa_rover_finds_clue_to_mars_past_and_environment_for_life.html Life on Mars Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:00:43 -0800 Any proof that there’s life on Mars is still non-existent. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agency of the U.S. government has made a statement to that effect in answer to the sensational article in the British tabloid newspaper “The Sun”, saying that the Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have allegedly found a biological substance similar to a bog. It is really not very important whether purposefully or simply wrongly interpreting the NASA reports, the author of the publication in the daily tabloid newspaper “The Sun” deceived its readers. In any case, everybody, as before, is interested to know whether there is life on Mars. New arguments have appeared in the dispute over the presence of primitive life on Mars. Scientists have proved that there’re bacteria on the Earth, which can live under extreme conditions, similar to the conditions existing on Planet Mars. This provides us sufficient grounds to reconsider the results of the experiments, which denied the existence of life on Mars. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/05/11/planet_mars_searching_for_life_continues.html Life on Mars Tue, 11 May 2010 09:15:26 -0800 Topics: Human spaceflight, US space policy, Mars. Dr. Robert Zubrin was our guest for this non-stop two hour program to discuss the proposed changes in US space policy and why having a destination is so important for our national space program. For more information, visit The Mars Society website at www.marssociety.org. Note the coming Mars Society Conference which Dr. Zubrin told us about, scheduled for Dayton, Ohio from August 5-8, 2010. Dr. Zubrin started our discussion saying that we could go to Mars in about ten years as technology was not the issue. I then asked why even have a human spaceflight program and why Mars. Bob provided us with a comprehensive response and discussion to both of these questions. In fact, this nearly two hour discussion was action packed, covered lots of aspects of space policy, was very comprehensive, and while he was critical of administration policy, he also offered solutions to the problems he described. During our discussion, Dr. Zubrin had much to say about the Augustine Commission findings, Science Advisor John Holdren, the budget expenses earmarked for the ISS when the US will not be visiting the ISS except using the Soyuz, and more. Listeners asked him about nuclear rockets, specifically Vasimr. Dr. Zubrin who has his doctorate in nuclear engineering, had much to say about nuclear rocket propulsion including Vasimr and nuclear thermal which is quite different. Listen to what he had to say about these different types of propulsion and why one is doable and one is extremely hard and costly since it requires so much added power, the latter being VASIMIR. Dr. Zubrin dissected the administration plan, especially the part about heavy lift. Listeners suggested that the research called for in the administration plan for heavy lift was about getting affordable heavy lift. Listen carefully to what Dr. Zubrin had to say about this and the entire research program suggested in the administration plan. Bob went to great lengths to talk about why policy needs a destination and time line, be it the Moon, a NEO, or Mars. He offered us many insights about programs without destination goals and timelines. Do you agree with him? Other listeners asked him many questions about Mars Direct including a potential test flight program, tethers, artificial gravity, and needed milestones. He was asked about a Mars fly by mission or landing on Phobos, he talked about orbital propellant depots, the differences in radiation for an ISS crew as compared to a Mars Direct crew. Toward the end of the program, Bob explained the old but important political doctrine of Thomas Malthus known as Malthusianism and why this is the opposite of what space development is all about. Listen to what Dr. Zubrin had to say about this and its influence in the current administration. At the end of the program, I asked him for his thoughts on the use of commercial launch providers and he said he was supportive of that as long as they can meet the requirements and do it. He indirectly referenced the GAP in this discussion but again said a program without destinations and time frames is a flawed or no program at all. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/04/29/broadcast_1352_special_edition_guest_dr_robert_zubrin.html Humans To Mars Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:15:44 -0800 A visiting scientist from NASA will discuss the evidence of life on Mars at a free community lecture on Wednesday, May 5, in Bozeman. Dave Des Marais of NASA's Ames Research Center in California will discuss why researchers believe that habitable environments probably existed on Mars more than three billion years ago. The Opportunity rover found evidence of saline lakes and groundwater on Mars, while the Spirit rover discovered rocks altered by liquid water and pure silica formed by hydrothermal activity. Orbiters have discovered widespread additional mineralogical evidence of ancient watery environments. The free public lecture begins at 7 p.m. at the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, 111 S. Grand Avenue in Bozeman. Light refreshments will be served. The presentation is part of the Community Lecture Series sponsored by Montana State University's Thermal Biology Institute, Astrobiology Biogeocatalysis Research Center and NSF-EPSCoR. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/04/29/nasa_scientist_discusses_life_on_mars_in_bozeman_lecture_may_5.html Life on Mars Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:12:02 -0800 A naturally gifted mathematician, Percival Lowell shunned convention to pursue theories that walked the line between science fiction and scientific prophecy. He was compelled to explore uncharted territory, whether it be the Far East or outer space. The first to suggest life on Mars and the existence of a ninth planet, Lowell inspired researchers and writers for generations to come. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/03/13/happy_birthday_percival_lowell_first_to_imagine_life_on_mars.html Life on Mars Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:17:06 -0800 Scientists have ruled out the possibility that the presence of methane gas on Mars is due to meteorites or volcanic activity. Recent research in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters highlights the hope that the consistent levels of methane on the Red Planet could be the result of microorganisms in the Martian soil that are producing the gas as a “by-product of their metabolic processes.” http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/03/10/gas_on_mars_silent_but_not_deadly.html Life on Mars Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:29:05 -0800 What could have formed these unusual channels? Inside Newton Basin on Mars, numerous narrow channels run from the top down to the floor. The above picture covers a region spanning about 1500 meters across. These and other gullies have been found on Mars in recent high-resolution pictures taken by the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor robot spacecraft. Similar channels on Earth are formed by flowing water, but on Mars the temperature is normally too cold and the atmosphere too thin to sustain liquid water. Nevertheless, many scientists hypothesize that liquid groundwater can sometimes surface on Mars, erode gullies and channels, and pool at the bottom before freezing and evaporating. If so, life-sustaining ice and water might exist even today below the Martian surface -- water that could potentially support a human mission to Mars. Research into this exciting possibility is sure to continue! http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/03/08/unusual_gullies_and_channels_on_mars.html Planetology Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:15:19 -0800 Microbes similar to those on Earth would have a tough time surviving the harsh environment of Mars, but it is not inconceivable that they could persist there given a little protection, according to a new study. The finding supports similar, previous work and lends credence to the theory that if microbial life ever arose on Mars, it could exist below the planet's surface to this day. Mars is in most respects a terrible habitat for life as we know it: winter temperatures can dip below –100 degrees Celsius, the atmosphere contains little oxygen, and without the benefit of a robust ozone layer the Martian surface is bombarded with ultraviolet (UV) solar radiation. http://www.marsnews.com/archives/2010/03/02/marss_environment_shown_to_be_hostile_but_not_untenable_for_earthly_microbes.html Life on Mars Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:11:49 -0800