Exploration of Mars the Study of Mars Today Physical Characteristics of Mars

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Exploration of Mars the Study of Mars Today Physical Characteristics of Mars

Exploration of Mars Why is Mars of such great interest, and what do we know about it? First the orbit; a=1.523 au, period =1.88 years The study of Mars today Physical characteristics of Mars Radius 53% that of Earth (3397 km), mass is 11 percent that of Earth 1 The varying distance of Mars at opposition Percival Lowell and the Canals of Mars Earth-like attributes of Mars (leave out smaller size of planet) By the 1960s it was known that Lowell’s view of an Earth-like Mars with higher life forms could not • Polar caps at north and be right; the atmosphere on the surface of Mars is south poles, that change about 0.7 % the sea-level pressure on Earth. with the seasons Water cannot exist in liquid form under those • Rotation period of 24.6 conditions. hours The average surface temperature on Mars is also • Obliquity of the ecliptic = 25 degrees about 60 degrees Centigrade below freezing • In time of Lowell, apparent (210K rather than 293K in this room). coming and going of features on Mars, perhaps indicating seasonal changes in vegetation 2 The atmosphere of Mars: 95% CO2 Robotic Exploration of Mars Mariner 4, our first close view of the The exploration of Mars by surface of Mars spacecraft • Began in 1960 • 37 missions attempted • 18 successful • First with results was US Mariner 4 in 1965 What does • Mariner 4 gave us our first close-up view of this mean? Mars • Several other major ones since then (Mariner 9 in 1971, Viking 1 and 2 in 1976, MER in 2004- present 3 The “new era” in Mars studies began in Orbiting spacecraft revealed more varied the 1970s: the Viking spacecraft terrain, e.g. Hebes Chasma A summary of what we have learned Spacecraft finding #1 - the north-south from orbiting spacecraft, 1971-present asymmetry 4 Finding #2: The volcanos of Mars: Olympus Mons Notice smooth, uncratered Slopes of mountain The size of Olympus Mons The extent of Olympus Mons 5 Valles Marineris…Grand Canyon of Mars Valles Marineris Valles Marineris…the view of a future astronaut More mysteries on Mars? 6 A better look at “The Face” 7.

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The Reference Mission of the NASA Mars Exploration Study Team
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