Beyond Curiosity: Will Future Investigations Bring Home Answers?

In 2020, NASA will be launching a new robotic science investigation regarding the possibility and the chances of life in the red planet. The duration of the mission will be one Mars Year (about 687 Earth days). The mission will be addressing key questions related to the presence of life in Mars. The mission would also make available opportunities to collect data and demonstrate technologies which deal with the challenges of future human expeditions to Mars. The mission would take benefit of a positive start on opportunity in 2020 when Earth and Mars are in advantageous positions in their orbits for a Mars landing. That means that it would take less power to get to Mars relative to other times, when Earth and Mars are in different positions in their orbits around the sun. Our scientists have the objectives of the mission under consideration, but until now, the ones they considered are; exploring an astrobiologically relevant ancient environment on Mars to decipher its geological processes and history and the potential preservation of possible biosignatures. This objective will lead, hopefully to a more clarifying pass way towards life on The Red Planet millions of years ago. Also, they will be looking forward to demonstrate important technical progress towards the future arrival of scientifically well documented samples to Earth. All together, this future investigation will bring along either more quests or answers to us, but we get the feeling that human race is insatiable, and there will always be a new quest to go for.

Leveraging Heritage Technology: Mars Rover Curiosity's Sky-Crane Maneuver, Artist's Concept This artist's concept shows the sky-crane maneuver during the descent of NASA's Curiosity rover to the Martian surface. The Mars mission launching in 2020 would leverage the design of this landing system and other aspects of the Mars Science Laboratory architecture.

Biology Group: Dayana Gonzalez and Teresa Blanco

“Snowboarding on Mars?”

NASA research tells us that hunks of frozen carbon dioxide or dry ice can glide down some Martian sand dunes on cushions of gas similar to miniature hovercraft, plowing furrows as they go. Researchers assumed this process could explain one mysterious class of gullies seen on Martian sand dunes by examining images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Images from MRO's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera show sand dunes with linear gullies covered by carbon-dioxide frost during the Martian winter. The location of the linear gullies is on dunes that spend the Martian winter covered by carbon-dioxide frost. By comparing before-and-after images from different seasons, researchers determined that the grooves are formed during early spring. Some images have even caught bright objects in the gullies. Scientists theorize the bright objects are pieces of dry ice that have broken away from points higher on the slope. According to the new hypothesis, the pits could result from the blocks of dry ice completely sublimating away into carbon-dioxide gas after they have stopped traveling. "I have always dreamed of going to Mars," said Serina Diniega, a planetary scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Now I dream of snowboarding down a Martian sand dune on a block of dry ice."

Chemistry Group:Dasmany Deniz,Melissa Cruz,Marlenys Rey

Evidence from NASA Rover’s Journey: Understanding Radiation

Radiation Assessment Detector that allows Curiosity to measure the level of radiation

The Curiosity rover is being used by NASA to conduct multiple studies that will be crucial for further missions. Scientists are aware that in order to send human explorers to the Red Planet, they have to make sure that they will be as safe as possible. That is why one of the main objectives of Curiosity is to measure the levels of radiation in Mars. As NASA is already preparing the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket to carry and shelter us in space, the findings by Curiosity will enable humans to travel safely. "As this nation strives to reach an asteroid and Mars in our lifetimes, we're working to solve every puzzle nature poses to keep astronauts safe so they can explore the unknown and return home," said William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations in Washington The instrument that allows Curiosity to measure the radiation levels is called Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD). Since Curiosity is very similar to a potential human exploration spacecraft, scientists will be able to determine how the radiation would affect humans inside a spacecraft. This also allows them to find out the effectiveness of radiation shielding. As of May, findings have demonstrated that the level of radiation could exceed NASA’s limit for astronauts if current propulsion systems are used. Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Engineering Group: Melina Borghi and Ariel Castro.