A rchive Date
[ 12-09-2023 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Science & Technology ]
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[https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/09/world/mars-map-science-newsletter-wt-scn/index.html
New mosaic of Mars could enable humans to settle on another world
By Ashley Strickland, CNN
Published 11:17 AM EDT, Sat September 9, 2023
(CNN) — When the Perseverance rover landed on Mars in February 2021, it wasn’t alone.
In addition to the Ingenuity helicopter, the rover carried a suite of science instruments designed to search for ancient signs of life.
And tucked in its chassis, Percy also had MOXIE - the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment.
The instrument successfully generated oxygen for more than two years from Mars’ carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere.
The first-of-its-kind experiment has concluded, having exceeded NASA’s expectations. The instrument’s capabilities demonstrated that oxygen for life support systems and rocket fuel could be created on Mars rather than transported from Earth.
The device is another tool enabling the eventual exploration of Mars by humans. But astronauts are going to need quite a bit more logistical support before calling the red planet home.
Other worlds
It’s a good idea to check the map and weather forecast of your destination before any long trip - especially if it’s another planet.
That’s what researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi are aiming to do with the Mars Atlas.
The project combined thousands of images taken by the United Arab Emirates’ Hope probe to create a detailed color mosaic of the entire planet. The spacecraft has been orbiting the red planet since 2021.
The Mars Atlas could be used to identify weather patterns, resources and safe landing sites for future explorers.
“It might sound silly, but maybe in the future it will be very common for people to go to Mars and even live there,” said Dimitra Atri, head of the Mars Research Group at the university.
Lunar update
After nearly two weeks of studying the moon, India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander will take a well-deserved nap.
Mission controllers put the lander and its six-wheeled rover in sleep mode for the 14-day lunar night while the landing site is in Earth’s shadow. The team will attempt to reawaken the spacecraft on September 22.
Since its historic landing on August 23, Chandrayaan-3 has analyzed lunar soil, and the rover measured seismic activity and detected the presence of sulfur. The lander also made a small hop using its thrusters and settled a short distance from its landing site.
Meanwhile, Japan successfully launched its “Moon Sniper” lunar lander this week, along with a new X-ray satellite. The lander should arrive at the moon in three to four months.
— The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will soon deliver a long-awaited asteroid sample to Earth. Take a peek at NASA’s preparations before the capsule is expected to arrive on September 24.
— Newly discovered Comet Nishimura has been making an appearance in the sky before dawn as it approaches Earth and the sun, but it may pose a challenge for sky-gazers. Here’s how to spot the tricky celestial object.
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