The Scott McGinley JPL Visit, January 9th (finally)

It’s a lot of fun to get to touch wheels, rocks, drills, parachute material!

We are very lucky to have Scott McGinley as our friend.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s OPEN HOUSE event. This is where our friend, Scott McGinley works!

SAVE the DATE – Mark Your Calendars!

Plan to carpool with your family and friends!

It’s the World Famous Open House at:

 NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab

Bring the Universe to You!

(on the CalTech campus in Pasadena)

Saturday, June 8th & Sunday, June 9th
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

(free event)

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/open-house.cfm

 

Presentation notes taken by Ms. Smith with hyperlinks to additional resources.

NASA / JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratories) Presentation

by Scott McGinley

1/11/13

www.nasa.gov

www.mars3d.jpl.nasa.gov

 

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