NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover Report - January 10, 2013

A NASA's Mars Curiosity rover team member gives an update on developments and status of the planetary exploration mission. The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft delivered Curiosity to its target area on Mars at 1:31:45 a.m. EDT on Aug. 6, 2012 which includes the 13.8 minutes needed for confirmation of the touchdown to be radioed to Earth at the speed of light. The rover will conduct a nearly two-year prime mission to investigate whether the Gale Crater region of Mars ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life.

Curiosity carries 10 science instruments with a total mass 15 times as large as the science payloads on NASA's Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Some of the tools, such as a laser-firing instrument for checking rocks' elemental composition from a distance, are the first of their kind on Mars. Curiosity will use a drill and scoop, which are located at the end of its robotic arm, to gather soil and powdered samples of rock interiors, then sieve and parcel out these samples into the rover's analytical laboratory instruments.

[hcheshire]

Such clear pics! Man, id love to see video footage of mars!

[EYEONEVENTS]

i began to fall in love with this planet

[NavidIsANoob]

Watching this video feels like watching the future. Can't believe t.

[skunkysettings]

ironically that would increase our chances of further space exploration

[tylerfh]

Not when you realize that some of the cameras on MSL are only black and white. B&W pics have a whole lot less data to transfer across the solar system than color pics.

[LucasKussowski]

I know it sounds silly at first - dusting - but it is dusting on another planet with the best rover developed so far in my opinion - YEAH!!! :)

[gauravzerogravity]

Exactly ! Like the Discovery of water is Done with the Effort of my Country India.

[SyllixMusic]

Not only that, but introducing water and a mouse, or any creature for that matter, would run the risk of contaminating Mars. If we somehow stumble across a microbe in the near future, how would we then know it came from Mars and not Earth? Contamination is a big issue.

[sniffy]

WOW. A feather duster at 50, 000, 000 miles - cool. Go drill 'em rocks boys.

[ruuman]

We do, just not on the level NASA does. We do contribute towards many programs. I wish the media would cover it more.

[SGTserious]

only one problem, you cant easily create atmospheric pressure, without air density you would still die, mars just doesnt have the mass to create a gravity imprint strong enough to keep a signifigant atmosphere, maybe some plants can be engineered to survive in those pressures, but not people. and all the water present is frzen and instantly boils at that pressure evaporating before it can be used.

[CachorroPodre]

I think we could not rule out the possibility of oil in Mars, since Mars had water for billions of years, and perhaps, some vegetable life, we could find some coal and/or oil beneath its surface. As I said.... perhaps.

[SandorDaroci]

that could be surprise... maybe, more to us...LOL

[valkaverii]

Because we know what will happen, the water will boil and freeze at the same time due to the lack of atmospheric pressure and the cold environment and the mouse's blood would boil, again due to the same reasons as last time, killing the mouse in seconds.

[TheGroundhog]

Don't forget the canadian space agency ;)

[EpicOcrafters]

well ok, but how about just in geo domes? i mean like a dome the size of a football field, gas isn't going anyway if its in a dome! But geo domes are a huge engineering problem... i love contemplating terrorforming!!

[TheSuzane]

yeah I wonder if they are exploring mars only because of

[rictheanonymouser]

why cant we just send tons of water to mars just to see what happens?
or send a mouse, just to see what happens?

[EpicOcrafters]

Actually... that would be good! not only would they be able to analyse it and maybe find out about the past of Mars they would be able to "pollute" Mars, this means we could terrarform Mars! although, Mars has weak gravity so this idea might be good for... lets say small colonies of scientists, you can get energy and Co2 for plants, which will naturely turn it to breathable air

[FawadHaiderFawadHaider]

please find an alien there i wanna see how is it really look like *_*