NASA: Jarosite in the Noctis Labyrinthus Region of Mars.- Jarosita en el Labyrinthus Región Noctis de Marte

Hola amigos: A VUELO DE UN QUINDE EL BLOG., Esta imagen, adquirida el 24 de noviembre 2015 mediante la cámara Experimento Científico de Imágenes de Alta Resolución (HiRISE) a bordo del Orbitador de Reconocimiento de Marte de la NASA, muestra el lado occidental de una depresión alargada en boxes en la región oriental Noctis Labyrinthus de Marte. A lo largo de la pared superior de la fosa es un depósito de capas de color claro. Noctis Labyrinthus es una enorme región de valles tectónicamente controlados ubicados en el extremo occidental del sistema de cañones de los Valles Marineris en Marte.

More information...............

http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/jarosite-in-the-noctis-labyrinthus-region-of-mars

This image, acquired on Nov. 24, 2015 by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows the western side of an elongated pit depression in the eastern Noctis Labyrinthus region of Mars. Along the pit's upper wall is a light-toned layered deposit. Noctis Labyrinthus is a huge region of tectonically controlled valleys located at the western end of the Valles Marineris canyon system.

Spectra extracted from the light-toned deposit by the spacecraft's Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) instrument are consistent with the mineral jarosite, which is a potassium and iron hydrous sulfate. On Earth, jarosite can form in ore deposits or from alteration near volcanic vents, and indicates an oxidizing and acidic environment. The Opportunity rover discovered jarosite at the Meridiani Planum landing site, and jarosite has been found at several other locations on Mars, indicating that it is a common mineral on the Red Planet.

The jarosite-bearing deposit observed here could indicate acidic aqueous conditions within a volcanic system in Noctis Labyrinthus. Above the light-toned jarosite deposit is a mantle of finely layered darker-toned material. CRISM spectra do not indicate this upper darker-toned mantle is hydrated. The deposit appears to drape over the pre-existing topography, suggesting it represents an airfall deposit from either atmospheric dust or volcanic ash.

The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Caption: Cathy Weitz

Last Updated: Feb. 19, 2016

Editor: Sarah Loff

Tags:  Image of the Day, Mars, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Solar System,

NASA

Guillermo Gonzalo Sánchez Achutegui

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NASA : NASA's First Human Landing Sites/Exploration Zones on Mars Workshop Oct. 27-30 in Houston.- De la NASA Zonas Primeras Humanos sitios de alunizaje / Exploración en Marte Taller 10 27 al 30 en Houston

Hola amigos: A VUELO DE UN QUINDE EL BLOG., Los sitios de alunizaje primeros de la NASA / Exploración Zonas Taller para misiones humanas a la superficie de Marte se llevarán a cabo 27 a 30 octubre en el Instituto Lunar y Planetaria en Houston. La agencia está organizando el taller para recoger propuestas de lugares en Marte que podrían ser de gran valor para la investigación científica y al mismo tiempo el suministro de recursos naturales para permitir que los exploradores humanos a la tierra, vivir y trabajar con seguridad en el planeta rojo.

Se espera que los primeros exploradores humanos en el viaje a Marte a ser muy móvil, con la capacidad de explorar largas distancias de su hábitat, una región que se llama una "Zona de Exploración". En las actividades actuales de planificación, la NASA asume un radio Zona de Exploración de aproximadamente 60 millas (100 km).

More information...............
http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasas-first-human-landing-sitesexploration-zones-on-mars-workshop-oct-27-30-in-Houston

NASA's first Landing Sites/Exploration Zones Workshop for Human Missions to the Surface of Mars will be held Oct. 27-30 at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. The agency is hosting the workshop to collect proposals for locations on Mars that would be of high scientific research value while also providing natural resources to enable human explorers to land, live and work safely on the Red Planet.

The first human explorers on the journey to Mars are expected to be quite mobile, with the ability to explore long distances from their habitat, a region being called an "Exploration Zone." In current planning activities, NASA assumes an Exploration Zone radius of approximately 60 miles (100 km).

NASA plans to use existing assets at Mars, such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and the Odyssey spacecraft, to support the selection process of potential Exploration Zones. However, the life expectancy of MRO and Odyssey are limited. NASA is eager to take advantage of the remaining operational years of those Martian imagers to gather high resolution maps of potential Exploration Zones while the spacecraft remain operational.

Starting at 2 p.m. EDT (1 p.m. CDT) Tuesday, Oct. 27, the workshop will be webcast live via UStream at:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/YMjupNHukn7

Because of limited capacity, in person attendance is limited to registered workshop participants. Reporters interested in attending the workshop in person must contact David Steitz at david.steitz@nasa.gov before 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.

For more information on NASA's journey to Mars, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/journeytomars

-end-

David E. Steitz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1730
david.steitz@nasa.gov

Last Updated: Oct. 20, 2015

Editor: Sarah Ramsey

Tags:  Journey to Mars,

 

NASA

Guillermo Gonzalo Sánchez Achutegui

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NASA : NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial Mars Data Relay Satellites

Artist rendering of commercial Mars satellites providing communications back to Earth.

Image Credit: 

NASA/JPL

 

NASA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to investigate the possibility of using commercial Mars-orbiting satellites to provide telecommunications capabilities for future robotic missions to the Red Planet.

“We are looking to broaden participation in the exploration of Mars to include new models for government and commercial partnerships,” said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.  “Depending on the outcome, the new model could be a vital component in future science missions and the path for humans to Mars.”

The RFI details possible new business models that would involve NASA contracting to purchase services from a commercial service provider, which would own and operate one or more communication relay orbiters. The solicitation is open to all types of organizations including U.S. industry, universities, nonprofits, NASA centers, and federally funded research and development centers, in addition to U.S. government and international organizations.

NASA is interested in exploring alternative models to sustain and evolve its Mars’ communications relay infrastructure to avoid a communications gap in the 2020s. The RFI encourages innovative ideas for cost-effective approaches that provide relay services for existing landers, as well as significantly improving communications performance.

One possible area for improvement is laser or optical communications. NASA successfully demonstrated laser communications technology in October 2013 with its Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission. LADEE made history using a pulsed laser beam to transmit data over 239,000 miles from the moon to Earth at a record-breaking download rate of 622 megabits-per-second (Mbps).

Mars landers and rovers currently transmit their science data and other information to Earth either by a direct communication link or via orbiting satellites acting as relay stations. The direct link is severely limited because of mass, volume, and power limits on the rovers. To address these limits, NASA’s Mars Exploration Program currently uses relay radios on its Mars science orbiters. The spacecraft carry high-gain antennas and higher power transmitters that provide very high-rate, energy-efficient links between orbiters and surface missions as the orbiters pass overhead.

NASA currently is operating two Mars science orbiters with relay capabilities -- Odyssey, launched in 2001, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), launched in 2005. These spacecraft enable communication links from the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers on Mars’ surface. This approach will continue with the Sept. 21 arrival of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft, and the 2016 arrival of the European Space Agency’s ExoMars/Trace Gas Orbiter.

“This Mars relay strategy has been extremely successful in providing the science and engineering data returned from the Martian surface over the past decade,” said Lisa May, lead program executive for Mars Exploration Program in Washington.

Because NASA has launched science orbiters to Mars on a steady cadence, the current strategy has been cost effective. However, NASA has no scheduled Mars science orbiters after MAVEN arrives on the Red Planet in the fall. This creates the need to identify cost-effective options to ensure continuity of reliable, high-performance telecommunications relay services for the future.

“Looking ahead, we need to seriously explore the possibility of the commercialization of Mars communications services,” said May. “This will offer advantages to NASA, while also providing appropriate return-on-investment to the service provider.”

The RFI is for planning and information purposes only. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the government to enter into a contractual agreement, nor will the government pay for information solicited.

To view the complete RFI, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/1kV6KYj

For more information on NASA Mars missions, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mars

For information on the LADEE mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ladee

NASA

Guillermo Gonzalo Sánchez Achutegui

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