In the middle of a gluttonous weekend, otherwise known as Thanksgiving, 2011, an interesting event occurred. It was barely a footnote in the evening newscast. On Saturday, November 26th, NASA launched a car sized, nuclear powered, robotic rover named Curiosity toward Mars. The trip will take 8 ½ months.
Curiosity’s mission is to take samples and relay its findings to scientists on Earth. It’s another step in the cycle of determining if Mars has now or ever supported organic life forms.
Getting to Mars will only be half the challenge. This nearly one ton-behemoth still has the task of settling safely in Gale Crater on Mars’ surface; no easy feat.
A couple years ago, I had the good fortune of visiting a Mars’ mission control center in Denver, where technicians monitor the progress of Mars rovers. Unfortunately, it was at a time of inactivity. It was still cool. The folks working in these control centers adjust their schedules to accommodate a Martian day; somewhere in the neighborhood of 24 ½ Earth hours.
I’m excited about the prospect that there may be life of some type on Mars. There’s water in the form of ice, at least on the surface. Some scientists theorize there may even be water in liquid form below the surface. Where there’s water, there’s always the potential for life.
I hope we are not alone in the universe. Anyone else feel the same?
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