NASA | Searching for Mars' Missing Atmosphere

MAVEN will use its Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer to study the interaction of neutral gases and ions in the Martian atmosphere with the solar wind, helping scientists to understand how Mars has lost its atmosphere over time.

Like our videos? Subscribe to NASA's Goddard Shorts HD podcast:

Or find NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on facebook:

Or find us on Twitter:

[cassinipanini]

Exactly! It was babysteps, but now we've grown up and are stretching our arms, touching the universe in brand new ways.

[cassinipanini]

(cont) The second issue is propulsion. Propulsion systems are expensive, hard to launch, and require more additional power than small thrusters. In short, they cost extra money for little gain. To get to Saturn, Cassini did a maneuver called gravity assist, using Jupiter's gravity to propel itself towards Saturn's orbit. This is far less expensive to design than adding extra hardware. Once in orbit around Saturn however, Cassini's thrusters are not powerful enough to bring it to another planet.

[Eleglas]

Has been done since at least the Voyager probes in the 70's, and they're still out there sending back info.

[cassinipanini]

I know NASA has gotten a lot of flack after shutting down the shuttle programs, but really what good are shuttles when we can build highly complex satellites that provide more data, faster and cheaper? THIS is the NASA I love. Also, it's amazing not only that we have catalogued our own planets climate data, but do it to another planet...wow.

[cassinipanini]

You should check out Cassini then; orbits Saturn but snapped some photos of Jupiter and the asteroid belt on it's flyby.

[impsick]

Bro ever heard of Cassini w/ Huygens probe, New Horizons or Galileo? They all have orbited multiple planets. Using their gravity to sling shot them around. But I do think that once trapped in it's orbit your pretty much stuck without a rocket.

[IstasPumaNevada]

The people who criticize cancellation of the shuttle program need to realize it was, overall, quite an ungainly design as far as accomplishing its goals, taking far longer between launches and costing far more per launch than planned. It was very iconic, but progress necessitates leaving it behind, especially since its performance was mediocre to begin with.

[albersonik]

You did not understand my idea Mike, I know the probes Voyager of the 70's, I speak a satellite that is capable you make an orbit satellite at some planet or asteroid, and after a time be able to have the means to settle in the orbit of another body and so on, not like the voyager who made a pass any more, seems like a complicated method and impossible, but it would be cheaper to send multiple probes, all this would more spectacular each mission.

[cassinipanini]

The problem with a satellite this is propulsion and fuel. Although our fuel sources are constantly improving, they still only last a few years (relatively). Cassini was launched in 1997 and within the next few years, as its power source dwindles, NASA will fly it into Saturn to collect data till the last. It's not possible to gather all possible data on Saturn & it's moons in sixteen years. Until we find a much better power source, I think NASA prefers indepth individual analyses.

[cassinipanini]

If by shuttles you mean the International Space Station, then it seems we've already got that covered.

[TheStockwell]

Is it hot in here or is it just the inextinguishable torch of real science?

[ColonelStraker]

Per :57 - would not the proper acronym then be MAVEM ?!

[albersonik]

NASA, it is possible to invent a satellite of observations to visit and place it in orbit observation of multiple planets?? ... could pay me for giving them this idea??? Thx :-)

[YurijVolkov]

To my mind, we can't get more data on how human react in space with only satellites. We need shuttles for that reason.

[jdgrahamo]

This is very informative, thank you. But I do wish you wouldn't play music, especially while people are talking. You wouldn't do it during a lecture -- it's distracting, and contributes nothing.

[BDBK]

They're using the N at the end of evolution. If you look again, you will see it's capitalized.

[rbftjbr]

Allah There is no god but He, The Living, the Everlasting, Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep, To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that can intercede with His, except by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what is after them, And they comprehend not anything of His Knowledge save as He wills. His throne comprises the heavens and the earth, The preserving of them fatigues Him not, And He is the All-High, All-Glorious. [Al-Quran: al-Baqa