NASA is seeking comment on planned Scout Missions to Mars for the 2011 timeframe. The announcement can be found here (Adobe Acrobat format).
Mars has undergone a remarkable evolution since the first probe from Earth went sailing past the planet, sending back a few shots. Given what we saw, Mars was declared a dead planet, somewhat like our Moon, not really worthy of our attention.
Continue reading "The Changing Face of Mars"
The next hurdle for the proposed airplane for martian exploration? Proving that the vehicle will fly!
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin has been criss-crossing the country, visiting various NASA centers. Here's an account of his visit to Dryden Flight Research Center and a visit to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Continue reading "Crossing the Country"
NASA is developing a "master plan" for the exploration of Mars. Some changes are already being hinted at: for example, the Mars Science Laboratory might slip from a 2009 launch to a 2011 launch.