Why explore Mars?

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Why explore Mars?

• To better understand planets in our Solar System
  and thus how the Solar System formed
• To better understand the likelihood of planets
  around other stars
• To establish in the future another home for
  humans.
• Our history tells us we are explorers!
• To answer the question

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Are we alone? In Search of Life
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Have we found life? Well, no, not yet
Cydonia Region Viking 1 1976
Global Surveyor April 2001
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Mariner 4 1965Mariner 6 7 1969Mariner 9
1971
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Mars Two Views
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Mars Vital Stats
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The two Martian moons resemble asteroids

• Mars has two small, football-shaped satellites
  that move in orbits close to the surface of the
  planet
• They may be captured asteroids or may have formed
  in orbit around Mars out of solar system debris

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Mars Up Close
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Clouds Above Mars Volcanos
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The Volcano Olympus Mons
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Viking 1976
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Viking 1 First Images
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Winter Frost _at_ Viking 2
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Pathfinder and Sojourner 1997
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Pathfinder 1997
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Mars Global Surveyor 1996 - 2006
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Mars Odyssey 2001
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Mars The Case for Water
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Gustev Crater from Mars Odyssey March 2003
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Spirit and Opportunity 2004
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All around Spirit
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Spirit Panorama in Gustev Crater
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Up Close from Spirit
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on Mars
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Opportunity
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Mars here and there
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005 -)
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A Martian Avalanche from MROFebruary 2008 North
Polar Area
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York U on Mars 2008 NASA Phoenix Mission
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Phoenix objectives/instruments

• Study the history of water by examining water ice
  beneath the Martian surface (north polar region).
• Determine if the arctic Martian soil could
  support life.
• Instruments MET, Robotic Arm, Surface
  Stereoscopic Imager (SSI), Thermal and Evolved
  Gas Analyzer (TEGA), Mars Descent Imager (MARDI)
  Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity
  Analyzer (MECA).

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Where is Phoenix?
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Going down
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On the surface at the North Pole
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At the North Pole
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Digging for ice on Mars
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Instruments on Phoenix
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Temperatures at the North Pole
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Snow on Mars using Lidar
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The Near Future
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The More Distant future
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Any Questions?