Student education

NASA and university scientists reviewing data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) say evidence is growing that the planet harbored life in its past or that Martian microbes exist now.

They say their views are based on the growing body of data on the diversity of water related minerals discovered by MRO. It is also supported by findings from other spacecraft such as Europe's Mars Express orbiter and NASA's Phoenix lander and twin Mars rovers.

The MRO data is being used to narrow the best sites to locate life related evidence, while also being safe enough for the Mars Science Laboratory rover "Curiosity" set for launch in 2011.

A long, deep canyon and the remains of beaches are perhaps the clearest evidence yet of a standing lake on the surface of Mars, say scientists.

Images from a camera called the High Resolution Imaging indicate water carved a 50 kilometre long canyon.

The presence of water on Mars is widely accepted. The Mars Phoenix mission last year found frozen water on the surface of Mars, and there is also evidence that water may still seep to the surface from underground.

Planetary scientists have also seen what could be the shores of giant rivers and seas, but some of the formations could also arguably have been made by dry landslides.

The researcher says that this is the first unambiguous evidence of shorelines on the surface of Mars.

Opportunity Rover has found a big rock on planet Mars. It is not clear that the rock is a meteorite or some thing else.
The rock has been named as "Marquette Island".
Enjoy these amazingly beautiful images of the " Marquette Island".

Spirit Rover which was stuck in Martian soil since April, 2009 has finally showed some movements from its current position.

NASA is planning to have a press conference on 12th November, 2009 regarding the escape plan of the Rover.

Have you ever played with the idea that your future generations could be building their homes in Martian soil. Yes, it can be very much possible ........ a house in Mars . How they will they get energy for using it at home and for cutting rocks ??????
The answer could be biofuels. It is believed that a slightly altered cynobacterium may help us to power future Martian homes.
The sunlight which Mars gets is half the amount of sunlight which Earth receives so no any chances of using solar energy as power. Mars has rust , dust and lots of carbondioxide in its environment and carbondioxide can be used by cynobacterium to turn into a biofuel called isobutanol .
This biofuel can help people living in Mars for power. Biofuels can't burn in the carbon atmosphere so the future houses in Mars need to be altered to carry oxygen as well.
Having an inexpensive biofuel can fulfill our dream of our future generations building homes in Martian soil.

Face on Mars is a myth, although the picture resembles a human head formed by shadows giving the illusion of eyes, nose and mouth.

Do you want to have a Martian home and plan to stay there forever....... then you need a lotta chickens.
Mars climate is not like Earth as there are no plants in Red planet hence, the future settlers of Mars will have to depend on Earth to meet their demand of daily bread.
We are all aware of the fact that chicken is a great source of protein , chicken's dung can be used as manure to grow the crops such as wheat and barley in the Martian soil by genetically altering the plants and can also be used as energy to light up the homes there. It is believed that chicken dung has the highest level of nutrients available.
Using the process of Pyrolysis the future settlers can turn chicken manure into biochar ( a charcoal like product ).
Now, why chickens ?
Simple reason for the use of chickens is that they are easy to transport as compared to other animals which are larger in size. The size of an egg is average 57 gms and an average size of a calf is 32 kgs at the time of the birth so it makes chicken as the preferred choice for the future space animals.
If you are a vegetarian then you will have to give your Mars dream a miss for the time being !

It all happened 10 years ago in December 1999 the Mars Polar Lander before entering the atmosphere of Mars became missing.
The search for the remains of MPL began using Mars Global Surveyor and now HIRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is continuing the search.
It is believed that the spacecraft’s computer misinterpreted the release of the lander’s legs in preparation for decent on the surface of Mars which might have caused the engines to shut down.
The search still continues…….