Off Topic Mars lander
- Thread starter erhayes
- Start date
rockethead26
2019 CX-5 Reserve
- :
- N. Arizona @ 7000'
Agree! Perseverance hopefully has the tools and the luck to find the first ever signs that life exists elsewhere or that it did in the past. If we get lucky, it will be a huge discovery.
I work at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff that was founded by Percival Lowell in 1894 with the intent to prove life existed on Mars. He was, of course, a true believer but unsuccessful in finding proof other than his mostly imagined canals that he spotted with his famous 24" Clark telescope.
The search has continued ever since because of his popularization of the idea of life on Mars. He wasn't actually proved wrong about the civilization on Mars until the first space probe, Mariner 4 in 1965, returned images of a barren surface. No canals, no civilization.
There is, however, strong evidence that Mars was very wet once 3.5B to 4B years ago and could have supported microbial live. Evidence of subsurface water today holds out hope for the continued existence of that microbial level life.
Good luck to the aptly named lander, Perseverance.
I work at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff that was founded by Percival Lowell in 1894 with the intent to prove life existed on Mars. He was, of course, a true believer but unsuccessful in finding proof other than his mostly imagined canals that he spotted with his famous 24" Clark telescope.
The search has continued ever since because of his popularization of the idea of life on Mars. He wasn't actually proved wrong about the civilization on Mars until the first space probe, Mariner 4 in 1965, returned images of a barren surface. No canals, no civilization.
There is, however, strong evidence that Mars was very wet once 3.5B to 4B years ago and could have supported microbial live. Evidence of subsurface water today holds out hope for the continued existence of that microbial level life.
Good luck to the aptly named lander, Perseverance.
I think there are three Mars missions on their way there. One from NASA, one from China and one from Europe. All were launched last summer within a week or two of each other.
Should be interesting.
The next closest Mars/Earth encounter is not until Dec., 2022. I believe NASA is planning to send a probe to pick up a soil sample from Mars and bring it back at that time.
I'm a senior citizen now, and remember watching live TV in 1969 when Armstrong stepped on the moon (no, it was not faked).
I hope I'm still around when man lands on Mars. That would be cool.
Should be interesting.
The next closest Mars/Earth encounter is not until Dec., 2022. I believe NASA is planning to send a probe to pick up a soil sample from Mars and bring it back at that time.
I'm a senior citizen now, and remember watching live TV in 1969 when Armstrong stepped on the moon (no, it was not faked).
I hope I'm still around when man lands on Mars. That would be cool.
