Mars 2011
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NASA is planning to send the second mission of the Mars Scout Program in 2011. This mission is supposed to be a "double" in which two scientific units are sent at once. It has not yet been decided which two projects will be sent. Some of the possible candidates (of which NASA scientists will only choose one) are:
- Artemis
- This mission would launch up to four saucer-shaped landers, two feet (0.61m) in diameter, from a "mother ship" orbiting Mars. Each would parachute onto the surface, analyzing the soil and atmosphere. Two of the four landers would be targeted at the polar regions.
- CryoScout
- This mission would build a torpedo-shaped probe designed to melt through a polar ice cap using heated jets. It would travel up to 100 yards (91m) below the surface, analyzing the melted water to determine the region's conditions.
- KittyHawk
- This mission would create three or four winged gliders with approximately six-foot (1.83m) wingspans and would explore the Valles Marineris canyon system. The gliders would carry infrared spectrometers and cameras.
- The Naiades
- Named for nymphs of springs, lakes, and rivers from Greek mythology, this mission would send two landers to a region which likely holds groundwater. The landers would search for the groundwater using low-frequency electromagnetics and other instruments.
- Pascal
- This mission would create 24 tiny weather stations to be landed all across Mars.
- Urey
- This mission calls for a lander/rover pair designed to analyze the ages of rocks. It would be targeted for the Cerberus Highlands region, and would look for specific minerals to help scientists compare the cratering of Mars with that of the Moon.
See also
| [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit ] Spacecraft to visit the Planet Mars | |
|---|---|
| Flybys: Mariner 4 > Mariner 6 | Mariner 7 | Mars 4 | |
| Orbiters: Mars 2 > Mars 3 | Mariner 9 | Mars 5 | Viking 1 | Viking 2 | Phobos 2 | Mars Global Surveyor | Mars Odyssey | Mars Express Orbiter | Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter | |
| Landers and Rovers: Mars 2 > Mars 3 | Mars 6 | Viking 1 | Viking 2 | Mars Pathfinder | Spirit rover | Opportunity rover | |
| Future: Rosetta space probe>Rosetta | Phoenix Scout | Phobos-Grunt | Mars Science Laboratory | | ExoMars | Mars 2011 | Astrobiology Field Laboratory | |
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