NASA / JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratories) Presentation
by Scott McGinley
1/11/13
Energy + water + (biological) carbon = LIFE! Mars has energy (sun), water (ice). Scientists are searching for biological carbon: bacteria / microbes. So…is there life on Mars? How can we find out?
JPL designs & builds instruments for robotic exploration of space in search of life.
Mars is cold!
- 50 million miles further from the Sun than Earth.
- Thin atmosphere
- -166 degrees F at night / -284 degrees F in winter
4 kinds of robots:
- Satellites: used for orbits /fly bys
- Landers: stationary exploration
- Rovers: can travel or rove
- Space telescopes
4 Rovers have been built (designed to work for 3 months; gold colored covering is insulation because Mars is so cold. Flat plates are solar panels to power old rovers):
- Pathfinder Lander/ Sojourner Rover (1997): “Proof of Concept” rover; built to see if landing a rover on Mars was possible. This rover did not do anything except confirm that scientists could launch & land a rover 250 million miles away!
- Spirit (2004): got stuck, then frozen in winter
- Opportunity (2004): 9 yrs. old and still working! 11 lbs. of instruments / 380 lbs. total
- Curiosity (2012): A large space rover that picks up where Mars Rover left off; explores Gale Crater (96 miles across, has a “parking lot” or landing zone, rocks/channels/ canyons to explore) and can determine if canyons were created by wind or water.
- 165 lbs. of instruments / 2000 lbs. total
- 17 cameras (long & short distance; same cameras used on Spirit & Opportunity)
- Weather gauge (temperature, wind, direction)
- UV sensors (radiation detector to help prep for future human exploration)
- ChemCam: chemical laser shoots 7 meters, pulses/taps rocks to test kinds of rocks
- Mini nuclear power plant on board; power that’s created motors & warm Rover
- Scientists assemble while wearing “Bunny Suits” to keep equipment clean; workers are grounded to avoid damaging instruments.
Launching Curiosity Rover:
- Scientists wait until Mars is closest (@ 150 million miles away)
- Rocket /timing/aim: send rover where Mars is going to be!
- Trip takes 8 months / 354 million miles
- Curiosity Rover folded and travels in a protective shell (can withstand 3800 degrees F as it enters Mars’ atmosphere; 1700 degrees F melts steel!)
- Sky crane lowers Curiosity Rover on cables. Cables are severed with an explosive device. Rover ready for mission!
- Drivers @ JPL can maneuver Rover; takes 5 – 20 minutes to get a signal
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Gale (crater), Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mars, Mars rover, Mars Science Laboratory, NASA, Opportunity rover, Sun | Leave a comment »