As human-beings we are drawn to the unknown. Curiosity seems hard-wired in our DNA thankfully, and from this thirst for information we continue developing technology to find answers to questions that lead us to more questions. On November 26, 2011, NASA launched the Curiosity Mars rover, which landed on Mars, August 6, 2012. The rover’s goal was to find out if Mars had ever offered favorable environmental conditions to sustain microbial life. Upon the rover’s completed one year on Mars (687 Earth Days), it was determined that Mars at one time did have mild water similar to lake water, which would have been a good habitat for living organisms. While the findings do not provide concrete proof of life on Mars, the research prompts further and more in depth study to obtain more information on this phenomenal possibility.
NASA Curiosity Mars rover. Photo Credit: ANS Nuclear Cafe
NASA is currently developing the Mars 2020 rover. While engineers are using 85% of the design from the Curiosity Mars rover, 15% will include innovative navigation and imaging system enhancements. The mission of the Mars 2020 rover is to ultimately seek signs of ancient life. While Earth and Mars are very different planets they do share similarities. Mars is one half the diameter of Earth but both planets have the same amount of dry land surface. This is because two thirds of Earth’s surface are covered in oceans, while Mars is currently all dry land. Because of the findings from the Curiosity Mars rover we now know that this was not always the case. The Mars 2020 rover will build upon that research, by not only looking for signs of ancient life on Mars, but also collecting samples that NASA will eventually bring back to Earth on future missions for analysis.
NASA has also made it possible for the public to experience the path of the Curiosity Mars rover with its new Access Mars website. With your desktop computer or mobile device, you can now explore a 3D replica of the surface of Mars. Since its landing on Mars the Curiosity Mars rover has sent more than 200,000 images back to Earth. Using those images, NASA scientists created a 3D model allowing them to study Mars and plan future tests. This model is now available for everyone to explore Mars terrain within the neighborhood of the Curiosity Mars rover. It would seem we are that much closer to answering the question, “Is there life beyond Earth?”