Rovers begin new observations on changing Martian atmosphere Mars rover scientists have launched a new long-term study on the Martian atmosphere with the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer, an instrument that was originally developed at the University of Chicago. view more (2007-08-30)
Industry asked to design Mars rover and payload Is there life on other worlds or is planet Earth the only place in our Solar System where living organisms have evolved? ESA is inviting European and Canadian industry to participate in its exciting ExoMars mission in order to provide an answer to this age-old question. On 9 July, the Aurora Programme Office issued an Invitation to Tender (ITT)... view more... (2003-07-22)
Exploring the final frontier: Disease proposed as major barrier to Mars and beyond New research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that prolific virulence and growth of bacteria, coupled with reduced production of antibodies could limit future space travel. view more (2009-10-30)
Glaciers Reveal Martian Climate Has Been Recently Active The prevailing thinking is that Mars is a planet whose active climate has been confined to the distant past. About 3.5 billion years ago, the Red Planet had extensive flowing water and then fell quiet - deadly quiet. It didn't seem the climate had changed much since. view more (2008-04-24)
ESA prepares mission to search for life on Mars Before humans can leave their boot prints on the dusty surface of Mars, many questions have to be answered and many problems solved. One of the most fundamental questions - one that has intrigued humankind for centuries - is whether life has ever existed on Mars, the most Earthlike of all the planets. Through its long-term Aurora Programme of... view more... (2004-02-23)
For the paper trail of life on Mars or other planets, find cellulose Looking for evidence of life on Mars or other planets? Finding cellulose microfibers would be the next best thing to a close encounter, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. view more (2008-03-31)
Gifted Students Create Martian Movies and Design their Own Space Odyssey Some of the brightest kids in the country who are members of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY), based at the University of Warwick, will explore life on other planets and create an animation of what Mars probe Beagle 2 may have found if it had suceeded, or what NASA's roving US Mars probes have still to discover, on... view more... (2004-02-17)
Promethei Terra, southern highlands of Mars These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, show a part of the southern highlands of Mars, called Promethei Terra. The images were taken during orbit 368 in May 2004 with a ground resolution of approximately 14 metres per pixel. The displayed region is centred around longitude 118°... view more... (2004-10-12)
Psychologists show new ways to deal with health challenges in space As NASA prepares to send humans back to the moon and then on to Mars, psychologists are exploring the challenges astronauts will face on missions that will be much longer and more demanding than previous space flights. view more (2008-08-15)
Brown papers reveal widespread, hardworking water on ancient Mars For decades, scientists have theorized - romanticized, even - that Mars has harbored water. The evidence has grown stronger as recent missions to the Red Planet have revealed in stunning detail Martian topography, mineralogy and clues to past climate. But how much water, where it was or is located and what it was doing have been hard to pin down. view more (2008-07-17)
Climate catastrophes in the Solar System Earth sits between two worlds that have been devastated by climate catastrophes. In the effort to combat global warming, our neighbours can provide valuable insights into the way climate catastrophes affect planets. view more (2007-04-27)
Dog DNA study yields clues to diverse size of breeds From the smallest Chihuahua to the largest Great Dane, dogs dramatically vary in size, much more than most other animals. Now scientists have discovered a genetic basis for this diversity. view more (2007-04-06)
New spaceship force field makes Mars trip possible According to the international space agencies, "Space Weather" is the single greatest obstacle to deep space travel. Radiation from the sun and cosmic rays pose a deadly threat to astronauts in space. view more (2008-11-04)
Magnetic Tornadoes Could Liberate Mercury's Tenuous Atmosphere As the closest planet to the sun, Mercury is scorching hot, with daytime temperatures of more than 800 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 450 degrees Celsius). view more (2009-06-03)
Where man boldly goes, bacteria follow Life in outer space is an absolute certainty, and it is likely to be more familiar than we might think, according to an article in the May issue of Microbiology Today. Ever since the start of the space race we have sent more than just satellites and astronauts into space: spacecraft are not routinely decontaminated and are teeming with microbial... view more... (2008-05-29)
Windy, wet and wild: Victoria Crater unveils more of Mars' geologic past After thoroughly investigating Victoria Crater on Mars for two years, the instruments aboard the Rover Opportunity reveal more evidence of our neighboring red planet's windy, wet and wild past. view more (2009-05-22)
The Changing Face of Space Robotics Dr Eddie Moxey of the University of Surrey recently gave a speech at the IEE seminar on the Changing Face of Robotics. His speech concentrated on the use of robotics in space. view more (2004-11-24)
Aurora: the future of space exploration Press briefing at IAF in Bremen The European Space Agency will be represented at the 54th International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Congress, at the Fair and Congress Centre in Bremen (Germany) from Monday 29 September to Friday 3 October, by a group of expert lecturers on several disciplines, scientists and astronauts. On Wednesday 1... view more... (2003-09-24)
The Scientific Case For Human Spaceflight Forty years ago, on 12 April 1961, the era of human spaceflight dawned when Yuri Gagarin completed a single, 108 minute, orbit of the Earth on board Vostok 1. Exactly 20 years later, on 12 April 1981, the first U.S. Space Shuttle, Columbia, was launched from Cape Canaveral. In April 2001, the Space Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to begin the... view more... (2001-03-30)
Mars rovers find new evidence of 'habitable niche'; perilous third winter approaches Inch by power-conserving inch, drivers on Earth have moved the Mars rover Spirit to a spot where it has its best chance at surviving a third Martian winter -- and where it will celebrate its fourth anniversary (in Earth years) since bouncing down on Mars for a projected 90-day mission in January 2004. view more (2007-12-26)
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