Looking for Traces of Water on Mars

It was in August 2012 on Earth. Gale Crater, which lies on the Equator of Mars, was suddenly startled by the fall of the robot car weighing 850 pounds. "This area previously did not know what is going to fall and walking on it," said Jim Rice, a NASA scientist who worked on the Mars Science Laboratory project, then laughed.

Gale Crater in Mars' equator. Elliptical circle so the mission landing sites Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). (Picture from: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/)

Indeed, Gale crater is finally chosen as the location of the landing of a robot named Curiosity. Previous candidate is Eberswalde crater, Holden crater, and Mawrth valley. Gale was chosen because this location has been a sign of the presence of water and organic materials. Mars Science Laboratory mission is to find areas of the red planet that supports life.

Saturday last week (November 26, 2011), the Atlas V-541 rocket, which carries a vehicle owned by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), gliding from the base of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This spacecraft will fly as far as 352 million miles to Mars. In August 2012, the aircraft is expected to reach the planet's atmosphere and lower Curiosity.

If successful, nuclear-powered Curiosity-the-add a row of vehicles belonging to the Earth beings who landed on Mars. Dozens of spacecraft sent to Mars by the Soviet Union, the United States, several European countries and Japan. Among other things, the 1997 Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover in 2007-2010.

Curiosity landing procedures picture and video. (Picture & Video from: http://www.engadget.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/)

Vehicle that is currently active on Mars is the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (since 2006), Mars Express (since 2003), Mars Odyssey 2001 (since 2001), and Opportunity (since 2004). While the vehicle that has just completed its mission is the Mars Global Surveyor (1997-2006) and Spirit (2004-2010).

Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory Rover. (Picture from: http://en.wikipedia.org/)

From the name, the Mars Science Laboratory, which cost U.S. $ 2.5 billion, more complex and scientific nature. In addition to the United States Space Agency (NASA), this mega project involving Russian Federal Space Agency. Curiosity, which is designed with Russian scientists, has 17 cameras, a robotic arm, the laser beam, and a drill to break up the rock on the planet.

Details and Main Instruments of Curiosity Rover. (Picture from: http://tommytoy.typepad.com/)

Sergey Saveliev, Deputy Head of Russian Federal Space Agency, explained that this project is a continuation of joint activities to explore Mars, "We want to improve understanding of the international community back on exploration and knowledge of the planet," he said. NASA executives promised this mission will help uncover the secret history of the Martian environment. Equipment "rover", they said, used to examine whether the landing area ever support microbiological life.

"Therefore, I am very enthusiastic wait Curiosity landed on Mars and get something that we're looking for," said John Grotzinger, scientists who are members of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, after the launch of the Atlas rocket.

Michael J. Mumma, senior scientist at NASA, believes that the planet Mars has a requirement for humans to live in a state of emergency. He was referring to methane in the atmosphere. "Life certainly can grow there," said Mumma, his statement about methane on Mars had become controversial. *** [UNTUNG WIDIYANTO | NASA | NYTIMES | KORAN TEMPO 3722]

American Coalition with Russia

There are 10 instruments on the Curiosity that will be used to find evidence of life on Mars. "The strength of the Mars Science Laboratory mission is a combination of all the instruments simultaneously," said Igor Mitrofanov of the Space Research Institute, Russia.

Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument. (Picture from: http://ecogirlcosmoboy.wordpress.com/)

Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument (DAN), for example, will guide the condition of the underground to a depth of two feet. This equipment is a further development of nuclear technology to detect water in Mars orbit.

"Albedo" refers to the process of reflection, how high-energy neutrons are injected into the ground. Neutrons that collide with hydrogen atoms will bounce. By measuring the energy of neutrons that leak from the soil, DAN instruments capable of detecting the amount of hydrogen.

This technology has been used in petroleum exploration in Russia. In addition, the DAN instrument was developed by the Space Research Institute Moscow, Dukhov NL All-Russia Research Institute of Automatics Moscow, and the Joint Institute of Nuclear Research in Russia.

Mitrofanov is the principal investigator of this instrument on NASA's Mars Odyssey. According to him, Curiosity can take soil samples to the arm or wheel. Samples will be investigated in the neutron generator is on the right hip Curiosity.

On the left, there are two neutron detectors are capable of emitting pulses of 10 million shots into the ground during the mission. The main challenge of this mission is to determine a strategy on how to use it. "We want a better understanding of where the water has been lost," said Alberto Behar, DAN scientists and investigators on the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. *** [UWD | KORAN TEMPO 3722]

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