| January 4, 2004 |
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NOVA: Mars Dead or Alive
It's  been seven years since a robotic mission successfully touched down on Martian soil. With the possibility that Europe's Beagle 2 Mars probe is lost in space, NASA is betting the farm (and $800M tax dollars) that its twin rovers will safely touch down this January and find proof of life on Mars. To do that, the probes must first survive a fiery entry into Mars' atmosphere and parachute gently to terra firma. Each will then explore two regions believed most likely to reveal geologic clues of prior habitable conditions. Spirit will scout Gusev Crater, a possible ancient lake bed, while Opportunity will explore Meridiani Planum, a hematite-rich rock formation known to form near water. Why water? Because it's the source of life as we know it. Armed with many encouraging images that suggest a formerly wet planet, NASA's top brass hope 2004 will reveal an exciting new chapter in our quest for understanding life's origins. (in Mars) |
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