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Mars
Cosmic rays hit Space-Age high
By Jeff Salton
03:36 September 30, 2009 PDT
NASA has a warning for everyone planning a trip to Mars in the near future – it might be a good idea to wrap yourself in an extra layer of tinfoil when you travel According to sensors on NASA's ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) spacecraft, galactic cosmic rays have just hit a Space Age high, reaching levels 19 percent higher than observed in the past 50 years and sparking a rethink on the radiation shielding needed for astronauts. Read More
Sandia hoppers have robots jumping for joy
By Darren Quick
00:23 September 21, 2009 PDT
Whether they use wheels, treads, or even legs, robots often have trouble extricating themselves from situations they may encounter on a space mission. Their design can also prevent them from easily navigating around certain obstacles. The chances of hitting a roadblock only increase when human control is removed, as in the case of autonomous robots. Hopping robots inspired by the clumsy jumping of grasshoppers could prove to be the answer to giving robots unprecedented mobility for exploring other planets, gathering battlefield intelligence, and assisting police during standoffs or surveillance operations. Read More
New ion engine could reach Mars in 39 days
18:41 July 28, 2009 PDT
Last week, as the world celebrated the first lunar landing, Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins both called for NASA to make Mars its next goal. But the chemical propulsion system that took them to the moon would take six months, at least, to get a man to Mars and cost hundreds of billions of dollars. However, a new ion plasma rocket being developed by another former astronaut, Franklin Chang-Diaz, could potentially reach Mars in just 39 days using a fraction of the fuel. Read More
Researchers show liquid could exist under observed Martian conditions
By David Greig
21:33 May 22, 2009 PDT
Despite falling silent late last year after five months on the arctic plains of the Red Planet, scientists around the globe continue to analyze data gathered by the Phoenix lander and uncover more clues in the search for evidence of life elsewhere. This latest news comes from researchers at the University of Arkansas who have shown that salts discovered at the Phoenix landing site have the potential to be found as liquid water - an essential ingredient for life - under the temperature and pressure conditions present on Mars. Read More
Terotech
- November 21, 2009 @ 19:38 UTC
