Posted 10.28.2010 at 6:02 pm
19 Comments
Spirit Finds Evidence of Liquid Water
This mosaic of images shows the soil in front of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit after a series of short backward drives during attempts to extricate the rover from a sand trap. The brightness and color of the freshly disturbed soil seen in the center area of the mosaic indicates the this formerly hidden material is sulfate-rich. This pattern suggests water has moved downward through the soil, dissolving and carrying the ferric sulfates.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell University
The brave little rover has been stuck in the sand for a year and a half, spinning her wheels and wiggling her robot arm futilely. As she's kicked up sand, though, she has uncovered deeper layers of Martian soil, and analysis of the difference between the surface and what lies beneath shows evidence of water.
Spirit is not exactly parked in a puddle yet, but the pattern of the ferric sulfates in the red soil look like it was caused by seeping of liquid -- recently, perhaps seasonally, perhaps continually.
If Spirit survives the coming Martian winter, during which the rover will be placed in a hibernation state, she will continue to do valuable science when she wakes up.
[NASA]
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funny how a problem turns into a unique discovery
You have to love those little rovers. Weren't they originally expected to last only 30 days?
next we find bacterias then what ?
That's a good discovery. every new discovery on mars is also a giant leap for humans here on earth. i hope we can find more information that support humans to live in mars.
Hinesmaynard www.completedietinfo.com Expert.
Water on the moon, mars, most of the moons of Saturn, where isn't there water.
Water on Mars we all knew that was coming. No doubt, there will be the announcement of life on Mars. I can't wait for that! My religious friends will need new material for debating.
@manit: There's even water in the sun, I doubt there are any significantly large bodies without some water.
@trireme: It was estimated they could only run for about 90 days. Yet, here they are six years later still making discoveries.
These little rovers(Spirit and Opportunity) should become icons for space exploration. They went above and beyond their call of duty. They deserve a unique place in history.
trireme: yeah they weren't meant to last long. Kinda seems a waste to have such low expected life for probes. Though not so when compared to the Russian Venera probes on Venus and their 32 minute expected life. Granted Venera 13 did last 127 minutes.
can anybody tell what that logo-looking thing is at the almost-top right of the photo. i'm sure its something like an edge of the satellite that took the pictures, but am i right? whats the logo?? i'm willing to bet this is an easy one for some people out there, but i'm clueless.
B.P.03 I would guess that is the JPL logo which is red and white.
looks like a decepticon logo to me...
water on the moon, Europa, Ganymede, now Mars? This is epicness.
www.geekness.webs.com
Wouldnt it be crazy if we already found life on Mars and other planets, and it was already found, but was kept secret by our government and NASA itself? That would be crazy and crude to be kept secret for so long.
I know this has come into everyones thoughts at least once in their lives. Its quite an interesting thought.
This site needs a "report spam" button in the worst way..
@manit: we always knew their was water on mars. this is liquid water!!! not frozen like at the caps. big difference. 1 intimidate thing is obvious. Life doesn't do so well with frozen water, but does tend to agree with liquid water.
@Gort60 It's called "Report this comment" located below each individual comment.
Sorry, but I'm getting tired about the "water on Mars" thing. Can't anybody @ NASA think of a way to get a cupfull of "Mars water" back from Mars as final and definite proof. Also even a in-situ test (water freezes at 0 centigrade and boils at 100 centigrade, after all) would really be useful.