Post on 22-Dec-2015
Mysteries of Earth and Mars
Mars Facts and Exploration
Quick Facts• Mars Earth• Average Distance from Sun 142 million miles 93 million miles• Average Speed in Orbiting Sun 14.5 miles/ second 18.5
miles/second• Diameter 4,220 miles 7,926 miles• Tilt of Axis 25 degrees 23.5 degrees• Length of Year 687 Earth Days 365.25 Days• Length of Day 24 hours 37 minutes 23 hours 56
min• Gravity .375 that of Earth 2.66 x that of Mars• Temperature (average) -81 degrees F 57 degrees F• # of Moons 2 1
Weather on Mars
• Dust storms are the main weather feature.
• Top Picture:
Dust storm on Mars• Bottom Picture:
Dust storm on Earth in Africa near equator
Mars Moons- Phobos and Deimos
Mars Topography
Happy Face Crater
Olympus Mons
• Solar system’s largest volcano
• 27 km high (17 miles)• 6 km cliffs at the base
(3.7 mile high)
Valles Marinaris
• Huge Canyon• Length of the United
States• 6-7 times deeper than
the Grand Canyon
Mars Exploration Goals
• Four Science Goals for Mars Exploration
• Goal 1: Determine if Life ever arose on Mars.
• Goal 2: Characterize the Climate of Mars.
• Goal 3: Characterize the Geology of Mars.
• Goal 4: Prepare for Human Exploration of Mars.
Mars Failures
• Mars Observer 1992• Mars Climate Orbiter
1999• Mars Polar Lander
(Pictured)
/Deep Space 2 1999• 14 USSR/Russian
missions
Mars Exploration
• Mariner flybys and orbiters
• 1960’s• Four successful• Two failures
Viking
• Viking 1 and 2• Orbiters and Landers• Landed in 1976 and
functioned into the 1980’s
• Over 50,000 pictures• Mission: search for
life on Mars
Mars Global Surveyer
• Achieved Mars
Orbit 1996• Still functioning • Mapping the planet
from orbit
Mars Pathfinder• Landed successfully July 4, 1997• First successful Mars Rover• Transmitted for 14 months
Lunar Rover/Mars Pathfinder
Mars View from Pathfinder-Sojourner
Mars Odyssey
• Launched 2001• Orbiter• Currently mapping
Mars from orbit
Mars Explorer Rover Mission
• 2 Rovers:• Spirit and Opportunity• Launched Summer
2003• Landed 2004• Still operating• landing movie
What’s Next?
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
• Launch scheduled for August 10, 2005
• Close up geology pictures
• Looking for ancient seas and hot springs
• Looking for future landing sites
Mars Phoenix
• Launch August 2007• Landing on Mars
North pole area• Lander will dig 0.5
meter trenches and analyze subsurface materials
Mars Science Laboratory
• 2009 launch• Rover with lots of
instruments• Larger than Spirit and
Opportunity• Possible radioisotope
power source
Mars Telecommunications Orbiter
• Launch 2009• Designed to transmit
signals from other probes back to earth
• Will orbit much higher • Will test laser
communication tools
Future Missions in Development
Sample Return Missions
Deep Drilling Landers
Human Exploration
• In Your Lifetime!
PowerPoint by Tom Fitzpatrick
Data and images from NASA/JPL