mars exploration

11.21.09

After Earth-Based Sandbox Tests, NASA Trying One More Time to Get Spirit Rover Unstuck

The Mars rover has been helplessly mired in sand since April, but lately it's been able to wiggle a little

By Rebecca Boyle Posted 11.12.2009 at 4:43 pm 3 Comments

Fans of the intrepid Mars rovers got some bittersweet news today.

The good news: Starting Monday, NASA will try to drive the Spirit rover out of a sandy spot where it has been mired since April.

The bad: It will not be easy, and in announcing their plans today, NASA scientists sounded like they were preparing to say goodbye.

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READ MORE ABOUT > Mars, mars exploration, mars rovers, nasa, space, space exploration, Spirit

Wearable Artificial Intelligence Could Help Astronauts Troll Mars for Signs of Life

By Clay Dillow Posted 11.05.2009 at 9:39 am 7 Comments

Not since RoboCop has being a cyborg seemed so very cool. University of Chicago geoscientists are developing an artificial intelligence system that future Mars explorers could incorporate into their spacesuits to help them recognize signs of life on Mars' barren surface.

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Getting Ready for the Mars Migration

Popular Science pays a visit to the Mars Desert Research Station

By Laurie J. Schmidt Posted 01.05.2009 at 3:13 pm 0 Comments

The Mars Desert Research Station, located in the Utah desert near the town of Hanksville, is a simulated Mars habitat that serves as a testbed for field operations studies in preparation for future human missions to Mars.

Volunteer crews live at the station, testing habitat design features and technologies. From December 27 to January 2, six college students served as the MDRS crew, as participants in NASA's Spaceward Bound program.

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