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Home , Gypsum, Opportunity (rover)

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

White Sands National Monument and the Monument

Mars White Sands

ver since the Opportunity landed on the surface of Mars in 2004, scientists have begun to see the monument Ein a whole new way. This is because when Opportunity landed it found itself in a large playa—a dry lake bed interdunalenvironment similar to that of Lake Lucero at White Sands—called .

Like White Sands, many of the rocks it has ever existed on Mars. Gypsum research projects. One of the major and in this area are and is the common focuses of these projects is based are composed of gypsum (Calcium . It comes out of seawater and the influence the atmosphere has Sulfate), the same mineral that makes is usually found in evaporated beds on gypsum of White Sands and up the snow white dunes of White associated with sedimentary rocks— Mars and what the atmosphere is like Sands. Sent to discover if life has ever just like the gypsum here at White on Mars, both now and in the past. been possible on the red planet, the Sands. Because of the way it is Since Mars has weather patterns, twin rovers and Opportunity formed, gypsum often holds seasons, and winds just like we do on landed on Mars in January of 2004. microscopic fossils. Professor J. Earth, scientists are also investigating Their first step was to find evidence William Schopf of the University of how dunes migrate on both planets. of liquid water on the Mars surface. California, Los Angeles states that if But that’s all in due time. The Though they were designed to last fossils trapped in gypsum can last for next mission to Mars launched on for only three months, both have millions of years on Earth, it is very November 26, 2011. The new rover, survived their mission well. Though likely that they might also be found on , is about the size of a small now in hibernation, Spirit gathered the dry seabeds of Mars. SUV and features the most up-to- data for more than five years in date technology. It is scheduled to bonus extended missions, while Have you ever noticed the crunchy be on Mars for nearly two years Opportunity has worked reliably for tan soils that fills the areas between investigating Gale Crater for evidence seven years. Opportunity is still fully the dunes at White Sands? That is of conditions that were favorable for functional and continues to operate composed of a living organism known microbial life. It will be exciting to see on Mars’ surface. Both rovers have Evaporative areas where water once what it reveals next! made important discoveries about flowed on as cyanobacteria, or blue- wet environments on ancient Mars green algae. This is similar to another that may have been able to support important find that the rovers have microbial life. Just like on Earth, vast revealed on Mars—a form of pond areas of Mars are made of gypsum scum, one the building blocks of that form dunefields similar to those life. The existence of this pond here at White Sands. scum along with sulfates is a strong indication that there was once water Data from these dunefields suggests on Mars and perhaps life. that the vast field of gypsum on Mars This new relationship to Mars has is a likely place to find traces of life if brought about many new and exciting Mars Rover Opportunity

Revised 04/04/2016