NASA Tests Confirm Water on Mars
Reuters
LOS ANGELES (July 31) - NASA scientists said Thursday they had definitive proof that water exists on Mars after further tests on ice found on the planet in June by the Phoenix Mars Lander.
"We have water," said William Boynton, lead scientist for the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer instrument on Phoenix.
"We've seen evidence for this water ice before in observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter and in disappearing chunks observed by Phoenix last month, but this is the first time Martian water has been touched and tasted," he said, referring to the craft's instruments.
NASA on Thursday also extended the mission of the Phoenix Mars Lander by five weeks, saying its work was moving beyond the search for water to exploring whether the red planet was ever capable of sustaining life.
"We are extending the mission through Sept. 30," Michael Meyer, chief scientist for NASA's Mars exploration program, told a televised news conference.
The extension will add about $2 million to the $420 million cost of landing Phoenix on May 25 for what was a scheduled three-month mission, Meyer said.
Phoenix is the latest NASA bid to discover whether water -- a crucial ingredient for life -- ever flowed on Mars and whether life, even in the form of mere microbes, exists or ever existed there.
Phoenix touched down in May on an ice sheet and samples of the ice were seen melting away in photographs taken by the lander's instruments in June. Boynton said that water was positively identified after the lander's robotic arm delivered a soil sample on Wednesday to an instrument that identifies vapors produced by heating.
Mission scientists said the extension would give time for more analysis of Martian samples. They plan to dig two additional trenches -- dubbed "cupboard" and "neverland" -- using the robotic arm on the Phoenix craft.
"We hope to be able to answer the question of whether this was a habitable zone on Mars. It will be for future missions to find if anyone is home on this environment," Phoenix principal investigator Peter Smith told the news conference.
Mission scientists said in June that Martian soil was more alkaline than expected and had traces of magnesium, sodium, potassium and other elements. They described the findings as a "huge step forward."
Meyer said the scientific proof of the existence of water meant that Phoenix could "move from looking for water to seeing whether there were habitats for life.
"We are moving towards understanding whether there were or could be places on Mars that are habitable," Meyer said.
Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Eric Walsh
Copyright 2008, Reuters
2008-07-31 16:28:53
NASA Tests Confirm Water on Mars
Moderator:Æron
Reserve your Mars Condominiums now!
Astro> gforce's smiles can cure cancer in kittensgforce422 is awesome because:
-He made the absolute nicest comments about me in the other topic. I didn't respond to them yet, because I suck, but they are greatly appreciated! =D
-I would say he would also be a good runner up as one of the nicest people alive.
-He joined the IRC sometimes. But not enough, I say! Chat moar =D
-He is evidently only 18 year old but he could easily pass for 25. =D
-He is a drummer like *I* am and this in itself is cool.
Astro> the happiness radiating from your person is enough to solve tensor calculus
<mib_4do271>everything you touch explodes in pillows of happiness
- Steve the Pocket
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Heck, the one of the most common molecule at (whatever temperature range it is) is water. Most asteroids are primarily water. Most of the water on earth came from, well, asteroids.
If Mars *didn't* have water, I'd be confused.
If Mars *didn't* have water, I'd be confused.
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." <br>-- Bertrand Russell
In that case, we ought to stop doing any experiments where one of the outcomes would leave B confused.If Mars *didn't* have water, I'd be confused.
Up until recently, we had already guessed that there was once water on Mars, but we didn't know whether it was still there, and until now had not chemically examined it. The discovery of the existence of water, of course, is a major step in assessing habitability and the possibility of life existing or having existed on Mars.
If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (Revelation 2:5, NIV)
Josh Woodward, Ohio Singer/Songwriter, offers his songs for free. Give him a listen.
Josh Woodward, Ohio Singer/Songwriter, offers his songs for free. Give him a listen.
- Bocaj Claw
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Mars may have water but Mars needs women. Which is why those durned Martians looked upon Earth with envious eyes.
Last edited by Bocaj Claw on Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- GeorgiaCoyote
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I also heard something this morning about some kind of toxic substance that lander thingy found at the north pole of Mars. It was apparently something that would've prevented life on Mars but I don't know the full details. As for the poll, I went with who the heck cares cause...well...that's just the kinda mood I'm in this morning so
Nathan
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