Tag: Mars
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Mars 2020 continues science in Jezero, Mars Odyssey solves Martian frost mystery
In late April, Perseverance and Ingenuity arrived at the edge of Jezero Crater’s ancient river delta — an area of the crater that was likely once formed by flowing water, and a major focus of the Mars 2020 mission. Perseverance‘s arrival at the delta marked the beginning of the rover’s second science campaign in the…
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Methalox race likely to be won in 2022, but winner not yet clear
Right now, several methane-fueled rockets are in a race to orbit. With Starship from SpaceX, Vulcan from United Launch Alliance (ULA), and Neutron from Rocket Lab, all of the most active US launch providers are committed to using methalox-methane and oxygen. Upcoming launchers such as New Glenn from Blue Origin and the Terran family from…
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Curiosity detects potentially biologically-produced carbon signature on Mars
NASA’s Curiosity rover, which has been scouring Gale Crater and the slopes of Mount Sharp (Aeolis Mons) since 2012, has detected an important carbon signature in samples collected using its assortment of research instruments. The samples feature a rich carbon signature that is associated with biological processes on Earth. Scientists were able to detect the…
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Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture agrees to buy Honeybee Robotics, a pioneer in rover hardware
Honeybee Robotics co-founder Steve Gorevan stands in front of a rover model that started out as an earthbound twin of NASA’s Curiosity rover and eventually became the Perseverance rover on Mars. (Honeybee Robotics Photo) Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture has struck a deal to acquire Honeybee Robotics, a trailblazer in the business of building…
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After a year filled with new missions and discoveries, Mars and its robots look ahead to 2022
After the successful launch of three new Mars missions in the summer of 2020, Mars exploration was looking to have a groundbreaking year in 2021. Astonishingly, all three missions — NASA’s Mars 2020, China’s Tianwen-1, and the United Arab Emirates’ Hope orbiter — successfully arrived at Mars in February, and have already sent back amazing…
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Mockups of NASA’s newest Mars rover and helicopter will kick off a road trip in Seattle
Virginia student Alex Mather shows off a mockup of the Perseverance rover at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in July 2020, while Alabama high-school student Vaneeza Rupani points to an Ingenuity helicopter mockup. The students won trips to the Perseverance launch as a reward for naming the two spacecraft. (Photo by Ken Kremer / SpaceUpClose.com) Seattle’s…
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As Martian spacecraft experience solar conjunction, Perseverance confirms Jezero Crater’s watery past
On October 2, 2021, all actively operating spacecraft at Mars ceased major communication with Earth as the planet entered its solar conjunction — an event wherein Mars crosses behind the Sun, limiting communication with Earth. As this began, NASA’s Perseverance rover’s science team released a new paper detailing the water-filled past of Jezero Crater —…
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New Raptor Factory under construction at SpaceX McGregor amid continued engine testing
SpaceX’s engine testing facility on 4,300 acres of land in McGregor, Texas, just south of the city of Waco, is undergoing new development and testing related to the Raptor engine for Starship and Super Heavy. With five test bays, the facility will soon become a hub for Raptor 2 engine assembly, with a new factory…
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Analysis of Mars surface samples highlight potential ancient water bubbles
Following an unsuccessful sample collection attempt in early August, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has successfully drilled, collected, sealed, and stored two separate Martian surface samples. Both sample collections took place in the same week. Additionally, new data from the samples show that the rock collected is likely volcanic and may contain bubbles of ancient water.…
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ExoMars 2022 mission in final testing, ESA & Roscosmos prepare for approaching launch
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos are preparing for the 2022 launch of the next mission in their joint ExoMars program, which is currently undergoing final testing before shipment to Kazakhstan for a launch in September next year. The 2022 astrobiology mission will see the long-awaited Rosalind Franklin rover land on Mars with the…