Latest Mars Pix Shows a Wet Spot

The latest pictures from Mars show that space exploration is proceeding as planned for the Phoenix Lander. Primary focus this week is the digging being done in the Snow White Trench. The Team has been moving the soil around and seeing if they can flatten the red dirt in to layers for easier testing in the TEGA.

Several while clumps were visible in early picutures from digs in Snow White. Now, we see clearly that those white clumps have melted and left wet spots. More evidence for water it seems NASA won't make a clear claim until the TEGA results are in. Do do state now that the soil samples from the Snow Trench will show whether water is present at that location.

Here's the link to the latest Mars Mission News Release.

I was thinking about what else that white material reminded me of. It looks like snow found in a glacial ice pack here in Earth. The scoop could dig cleanly in that type of snow, and the red Maritian soil may only be dust on a big ice ball.

The Phoenix Mars Lander will provide answers that we can trust much better than our personal guesses. I is fun to guees though, It is part of the wonder of Space Exploration!

Smiles.ET

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Latest Phoenix Mars Lander NASA News Release

Latest news on the Phoenix Mars Lander is mostly positive. We keep getting whiffs of problems, those problems disappear, and the next we hear is the problem is solved.
We are getting some fresh whiffs in this release.

NASA and the University of Arizona, held a joint media teleconference at 10:30 a.m. PDT (1:30 p.m. EDT) on Thursday, June 26, 2008 and provided information on the Mars Mission.

Yesterday, the Phoenix put its first scoop of Martian soil into the TEGA. It is an instrument designed to test the soil samples for alkalinity and The TEGA can also determine whether water had ever been present in the soil.

In yesterdays post, I commented that I don’t think the white substance we see in the Martian pictures from the Mars Lander is ice. I think we are looking at a salt bed.
I got more validation for this idea today when I ran across an article at NASA website on called, “ “. It explains how salts can prevent life from ever developing on a planet.
The article is a good read and gives information on several of the Mars Rover Missions. It will help you better understand the numerous missions that are part of exploring Mars.
There are actually “Two Rovers Operating on Mars” at this moment. You don’t read much about the Spirit Rover, but this article will give you an update on its slow but persistent life on Mars.
The oven doors on the Phoenix Lander are not opening properly, though NASA get enough soil into the TEGA ovens to do the tests. The first batch arrived as a clump and it four days to sift it in to the TEGA oven.
Interesting NASA says that are holding the TEGA ovens with the largest door openings for “ice” samples. We shall see.
Our “whiff” of a new problem comes with news that:
“Engineers have identified possible problems in the mechanical and electrical operation of that instrument, the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer, or TEGA.”
More on this story as it unfolds.
You can view some really great pictures of the Phoenix Mars Lander when you have the NASA Mars Screensaver. It is free and is updated regularly with the latest Mars Mission photos. Right now, it has a lot of images showing the TEGA.
Check it out. The images will give you a lot better idea of what this instrument looks like. I am curious if each oven has its own TEGA. We will get a better idea how this all works as we go along.
Anyone have an opinion on the “ice/salt” question? Let us all know what it is.

Water on Mars?

Isn't the NASA Mars Mission screensaver great!

I have had a chance to look at the pictures real closely, and I have my own guesses on what that white substance is in the Martian soil. I am not a scientist, but I have pretty good deductive reasoning skills.

First, I can see where those small white pieces in the troughs may be ice. These could be pieces of ice, and do you notice they are rounded. They look like ice.

Now that white sheet of whatever that we see may be something quite different.

I have wintered over in Alaska. I have experienced 40 degrees below zero for days at a time. You go to dig in ice at that temperature and it cracks all over the place, It is crystalline.

The Mars Lander is scooping that white stuff up very smoothly. It isn't cracking or looking crystalline at all. The Mars Lander scoop is cutting through that stuff like it is butter.

My thought is that white substance at the bottom of the trench looks more like a salt bed, or possibly a limestone formation.

So that's my two cents on the matter. Now we wait for the facts to be shared with us from NASA.

What are your thoughts on this?

Next up; lunar land transportation!

Smiles. ET

Phoenix Mars Lander Successfully Lands On Mars: 5.25.08

CNN reporting the actual landing on Mars of the Phoenix Lander.

A Free Gift From NASA

The other day I was visiting the Phoenix Mission website operated by the University of Arizona. It is where to find the most current information on the project, and they have great resources for students and teachers. They also issue the news releases for the Phoenix Mars Mission.

You will find a lot of interesting stuff there and it is well worth a visit. Personally, I was trying to get some perspective on the size of things that we sent to Mars. I wished to see how big the Phoenix Mars Lander is. I was curious about the shovel.

Turns out the Mars Lander shovel is a scoop you can hold in two hands. It really is quite fascinating. I need remember we are dealing with robotics here.

I had visions of a backhoe loading Martian soil into huge ovens for testing on the Mars Lander. I had been brought up with visions of a couple of astronauts driving around on the surface of the Moon in a vehicle. Why not a backhoe on Mars?

I have mentioned I am not a scientist, a professor, or space authority. I am a member of the Public. I am a student, and sometimes a teacher. And sometimes I need more information to get the facts straight on more technical matters.

I found my answer in an interesting place. NASA, and the folks at the University of Arizona had an interesting solution to my problem.

They presented me with a gift on their website that helped me put things in better perspective regarding the size of things concerning the Phoenix lander.

Their gift is a screensaver with stunning images. The images are changed occasionally as NASA adds new photos. There are up close pictures of the team members working on the Phoenix, and actual photos of the work now being done on Mars by the Lander.

This is a screensaver I actually look at a lot. The photography is fabulous. And, it doesn't make me dizzy!

You too can get your free screensaver and check out the other great add-ons related to this mission, by going to: "Mars Mission Screensaver" 

While there you will also find widgets that will keep you updated on the current weather conditons on Mars, and a timer that keeps you posted on passing Sols.

A Sol is one day on Mars, and it about 12 hours different than our days on the Earth. I will have to check if it is longer or shorter. Answer for that question anyone?

Smiles. ET 

Opps CNN...there are two rovers on Mars

Just wanted to note that the commentator in the CNN video of the Phoenix Mars Lander says it is the first landing on Mars in thirty years. Not sure he had his info straight on that.

Turns out there are actually two rovers active on Mars at this moment. Admitedly, the Spirit rover is moving in slow motion, but it is on Mars and in communication with NASA. 

You will find more on this story in the article "Two Rovers Active on Mars" over at Uduzit.

I have another interesting story or two to share with you from my space exploration surfing this week.  

Normally, I will post on Galaxy Voyager about five times a week, and more often with breaking news. I am on a roll this weekend.

Do enjoy! 

Smiles. ET

Welcome to Galaxy Voyager

It is nice to have you drop by. Let me explain where the Galaxy Voyager blog is going.

We will scour the Internet for the latest news, best blogs, and the greatest websites on the subject of Space Exploration. We will update regularly so you will be assured you will find  the latest information on a variety of subjects.

The Blog List at the bottom of this page represents the best resources I can currently find on the Internet related to Space Exploration. You have the classic NASA and Hubble websites, and others with a great deal of information on space exploration and space travel.

I also have mentioned several blogs that cover Space. You will find basic coverage of the Phoenix Mars Lander Mission on Uduzit.

The current hot story is yesterdays'  NASA news release concerning mounting evidence of water on Mars. Uduzit covers that story, though Ethan over at Starts With A Bang has quite a different take on the subject.

We will be watching the Mars Mission closely, so to start you out I have included the original news clip for the successful landing of the Phoenix Mars Lander 23 days ago. We will use plenty videos, images, and animations to tell our news here.