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Space Science Technology

GPS on Mars? 168

Posted by michael from the less-talk-more-satellites dept.
Roland Piquepaille writes "SPACE.com published two days ago an article named "Red Planet Wayfinder: A GPS System for Mars." You'll read that NASA researchers are studying a 'global positioning satellite (GPS) system around Mars that could also function as a communications network.' This would imply 'a constellation of microsatellites, or Microsats, and one or more relatively large Mars Aerostationary Relay Satellites, or MARSats,' according to the Mars Network website at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). This sounds like a neat idea, but there are several issues here. First, the JPL site mentioned above has not been updated since 1999. Then, there is no mention of such a mission at NASA's Mars exploration program website. So, here is my question: is this a recycled 4-year old article? In this overview, you'll find some spectacular images and more indications leading to think that the article was written in 2000. And please note that a Slashdot reader asked last December 'Whatever Happened To The Mars Network?' without receiving an adequate answer."
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GPS on Mars? More

GPS on Mars?

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  • Well.. (Score:5, Funny)

    by paranode ( 671698 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:01PM (#9653635)
    I, for one, certainly do NOT welcome our Earthling satellite overlords.

    -Marvin

  • Who cares what a reader asked? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by grub ( 11606 ) <slashdot@grub.net> on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:02PM (#9653639) Homepage Journal

    "And please note that a Slashdot reader asked last December 'Whatever Happened To The Mars Network?' without receiving an adequate answer."

    And why would he? If NASA and JPL don't update their sites with current information or release info to the public, did he thing that some /.er would be able to glean answers from a crystal ball or tea leaves?

    [rant] Suprisingly his question isn't on the "ask slashdot" page where you get all sorts of "Hey /., my boss wants me to do $FOO. How do I do it?" Really, some people have to relearn wiping their own asses. [/rant]
    • did he thing that some /.er would be able to glean answers from a crystal ball or tea leaves?

      Considering that several people who read Slashdot work for JPL and NASA, I think they might be able to glean the answers from their own brain.

      Just might, though. We are talking about JPL here.

      (Kidding!)

  • Cool! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Marble68 ( 746305 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:03PM (#9653656) Homepage
    Now, privatized probes could be launched and we land could be surveyed and claims issued.

    Seriously, this could be usefull for a manned mission. Landmarks may be hard to recognize
    If anyone has been watching NASA TV, there's a killer animation about how they launch supplies and a return vehicle in stages.
    Very neat.

    • Re:Cool! (Score:5, Interesting)

      by mikejz84 ( 771717 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:39PM (#9654063)
      Basically from what I can tell the story is just a recycled news bit. Nasa only has 1 telecommunication orbiter scheduled for Mars in 2009, and that it is. There simply is not enough volume with mars landers to warrant a GPS system (why put up 6 satellites that would only support 2-3 landers that have a limited lifespan?) In a related matter, Amsat (the ham radio satellite people) also have planned a Mars communications relay satellite called P5-A which would launch about the same time as the Nasa one (and probably cost significantly less) IMHO a Mars GPS/Communications system would be a great test case for those cash prizes they have talked about giving out.
      • We require two dozen GPS satalites to ensure that there are always at least 4 you can see. This is because we don't want to increase GPS receiver cost by needing an inertial navigation system (gyros and accelerometers) to handle blackout periods.

        We require 4 visible GPS satalites to take a measurement because, again, we want GPS receivers to be cheap. We don't want to spend money to have receivers that can take accurate frequency measurements for doppler usage. Also, we want a one-shot measurement from a

  • If I accidentally get lost on Mars (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:04PM (#9653675)
    I think I'll have bigger things to worry about than where I am. Things like breathing and keeping warm come to mind.

    • Re:If I accidentally get lost on Mars (Score:5, Funny)

      by JollyGreenLlama ( 795396 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:18PM (#9653843)
      It's good to know that when I'm driving around Mars in my Ford Explorer with OnStar that I'll easily be able to make my way from Red Boulder #007994 to Red Boulder #008515 without getting lost.
      • in my Ford Explorer with OnStar Did Ford do a deal with GM to use OnStar? Last I checked OnStar was only available on select GM vehicles... like Caddys, Pontiacs, Saturns, etc. You can get it on Fords now?
        • Actually, accourding to their website [onstar.com], OnStar is currently available on certain models of Acuras, Audi, Buicks, Cadillacs, Chevrolets, GMCs, Hummers, Isuzus, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, Saabs, Saturns, Subarus, and Volkswagons.

          So, unless some deal gets done with Ford before an implementation of the Mars GPS, you'd be absolutely correct. A bit off-topic, but correct.
    • Dude, you might have even deeper things to worry about than that...

      They seemed mostly head, with little scrawny bodies, long necks and six legs, or, as I afterward learned, two legs and two arms, with an intermediary pair of limbs which could be used at will either as arms or legs. Their eyes were set at the extreme sides of their heads a trifle above the center and protruded in such a manner that they could be directed either forward or back and also independently of each other, thus permitting this quee

  • Robinson called it "APS" (mildly OT) (Score:5, Informative)

    by Embedded Geek ( 532893 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:04PM (#9653681) Homepage
    I seem to recall in Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars, he refers to an Ares Positioning System (APS).

    Just thought we should get our TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) straight.

  • Waste (Score:2, Insightful)

    by GICodeWarrior ( 794483 )
    Sounds like a waste to me. I mean, are we really going to be sending that many more rovers before we start considering sending a human exploration team?

    • Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)

      by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) * on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:07PM (#9653701)
      Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • And don't you thing that human exploration team will need some sort of positioning system?

    • Re:Waste - NOT! (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Rob Carr ( 780861 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:13PM (#9653777) Homepage Journal
      Sounds like a waste to me. I mean, are we really going to be sending that many more rovers before we start considering sending a human exploration team?

      First, such a system would be helpful to a human exploration team. Second, most human mission proposals include sending supplies (or machines to manufacture those supplies) on ahead. Getting, those machines together and getting the humans to them would be helpful. Third, there's a lot of science that can be done by carefully mapping the orbits of the Mars Positioning System - it's a great way to find mascons and the like. Fourth, yeah, they probably will be sending a lot more rovers, including aerial drones that would really benefit from a GPS-like system.

      • All your points are valid, but they don't really add up. The only benefit of a GPS-style system is that it's easier and quicker to use than traditional navigation. In the case of space programs, we've already almost perfected celestial navigation, and we have the facilities to do it. The expense of sending all that GPS equipment to mars, calibrating it, and compensating for any failures, is simply not worth the minimal benefit in conveniance it has over tradional navigation.

        This is one of my pet peeves abo
    • A set of satalites would make probes more effective because they could conevy telemetry 24/7 not just when the probe is facing earth.

  • First things first (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Sean80 ( 567340 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:06PM (#9653700)
    I just don't understand why this sort of article comes out when we don't even seem to have the political will to put people back on the moon.

    Wouldn't it make far more sense to a) put people back on the moon, b) work out if, in actual practice, astronauts require GPS systems in such a situation and then c) put GPS satellites around the moon? This whole fascination with Mars thing sounds strange to me when we have a much closer, much easier, much less prone to failure environment in which we can perfect things before heading out further into the solar system.

    • Does the moon have enough gravitational pull to hold a system of satelites without them eventually drifting back to earth? Also mars is more interesting, imo, because we haven't been there yet, and it's more of a mystery. We've already established that it's just a big rock. Plus, the US already owns the moon, our flag being our claim, so now we need more extra terrestrial property.

      • Re:First things first (Score:1, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward
        We know everything there is to know about the moon and mars as of now:
        They are big rocks, with varying amounts of various elements and compounds. They are not supportive of life as we know it.
        The thing we should be doing is looking on Earth. When we know all about Earth maybe then we can look elsewhere, but we still haven't charted much of the ocean...

    • Re:First things first (Score:5, Informative)

      by another_henry ( 570767 ) <.ten.bjc.mallahyrneh. .ta. .todhsals.> on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:12PM (#9653773) Homepage
      We can't put GPS satellites (or any other permanent satellite) around the Moon. Its mass is too unevenly distributed, and the gravitational field too warped, to have any permanent stable orbits. Anything put into orbit will crash after a few hundred orbits, without manual correction with rockets.
      • Could you have GPS in the same orbit as the Moon around the Earth? Like at L1, L2, L4, and L5, but orbiting the Earth at the same speed as the Moon?

        Not good at physics,
        -l
        • I would imagine so, probably (IANA orbital mechanic, though I did skim through "Fundamentals of Astrodynamics") - I don't think it would be a lot of use as a positioning system though because from the Moon you'd only be able to see two or maybe three satellites from any position. The ping time to them would be huge as well, I don't know if that would matter.

          Long-distance navigation on the moon isn't a trivial problem, especially since the distance to the horizon is so short... but modern gyroscopes can p

          • Hrm, you got me thinking about the short horizon... maybe you could just build giant towers? Hey, you could subcontract Cingular and put GSM up there too! That'd be cute. :)

            -l
        • The short horizon isn't an advantage for towers, it's a disadvantage. You'd need to build them much taller to cover the same area. Of course when gravity is barely 1/6 of Earth normal, perhaps that isn't so hard.
      • without manual correction with rockets.

        How much correction? Don't satellites even in earth orbit have correction thrusters? A C-band book I read said that as the satellite gets older, they'll often relax the "station keeping" to conserve thruster fuel.
    • The reason Mars is fascinating is because, while it's further away, it's a much, *much* more hospitable and useful environment than the moon. For example in terms of hospitality: since Mars has a C02 atmosphere, we can easily manufacture fuel [marssociety.org] for our return flights on the surface; we're just screwed on the Moon. In terms of usefulness, another example is that the Moon has always been dead; Mars may have had life that we can discover, either as fossilized remains or a few plucky remaining patches of bacteria

  • Until there are more Starbucks... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by scorp1us ( 235526 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:07PM (#9653703) Journal
    on mars, I really don't see the need for knowing where I am on the red planet to 3 meter (or even 1 kilometer) accuracy.

    Without people or autonomous units on the planet, why spend the money now? It'll be cheaper later. (Space elevator, privatized space missions, etc.)

    We don't even have vehicles that we can lose! They all move too slow to just wake up and be off the map.
    • Vehicals traveling on mars would benefit a great deal by having a high accuracy. It would allow ground stations to give very specific coordinates to tell the robot to go anywhere without having to keep an eye on it or give it direction and distance commands. It's alot easier and faster to correct for 3 meter than 1km accuracy once it's done making it's inital move from point A to point B.

      It's rediculous how many "well *I* can't see a need for it so it must be useless" posts get moderated up as insightful
      • Riiiiiiiight....

        We have to baby sit our vehicles and constantly check the hazard cameras.

        We can't even get a car to drive 10 miles on GPS alone for a $1M bounty, but you expect us to do it on another planet?

        Until we have vehicles on our own planet that can drive around and not run into barriers, this is a waste of money.

        Give it 10 years or so.

        Besides you can get a 3 point triangulation system to do the same for a LOT less.

  • resoultion (Score:5, Funny)

    by MrLint ( 519792 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:10PM (#9653743) Journal
    I wonder if they are going to use the same variable accuracy system like here on earth. we wouldn't want anyone to accurately attack utopia planita :).
    • I think they did away with that and now all GPS is the same accuracy. Not positive, but I remember reading that somewhere.
      • They switched off the deliberate corruption of the civilian GPS signal. However, military GPS receivers still have better accuracy, because they operte on two frequencies instead of just one. The second frequency allows them to model errors due to atmospheric signal delays, and then subtract those errors out. The next-gen GPS satellites (GPS IIF and GPS III) are supposed to add a second civilian signal to allow civilians to achieve more accurate positioning. However IIRC the military will still be more accu
        • Also keep in my (it is my understanding) that US lobbying got the resolution turned down on the Europe/private(?) GPS satellites that were going up.

  • The Point. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Deathlizard ( 115856 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:10PM (#9653750) Homepage Journal
    Honestly, I dont see much of a need for GPS on mars. It's not like we need a precise 10 meter point of exactly where a rover is. As long as the rover sees where it's at it's pretty much what we want out of it.

    I can see a use for a DSN (Deep Space network) to consolidate mars radio traffic into one higher powered more redundant network, but GPS would be a pain to make work on mars. This is especially true with the amount of satelites needed, not to mention there would have to be a way to sync all of their internal clocks to give a precise reading which would be tough from an hour away.
    • Start out with atomic clocks synchronized on Earth- then send out & position. No problem there. But I agree- far better to have a DSN than a GPS system.
      • relativistic effects could hinder this. Unless we allow for this in the calculations as to what "synchronized" means.
        • It only would if the deployment system was fast. Be more patient, and the relativistic effects could be so close to zero as to not matter. After all, geosynchoronous orbit isn't exactly standing still- but does the fact the clock is moving at speeds of close to 24,000 mph matter, relativistically?

          • After all, geosynchoronous orbit isn't exactly standing still- but does the fact the clock is moving at speeds of close to 24,000 mph matter, relativistically?

            One, GPS satellites are not in geosynchronous orbit. They're in a higher than LEO (but lower than geosynchronous) orbit that they pretty much have to themselves. You don't want them all in geosynchronous orbit either, because then the receiver can't tell if it's north or south of the equator.

            Two, relativistic effects on the GPS satellites cause a

            • Geosync has nothing to do with determining north or south of the equator unless they're doing somthing with the timeing and shift of position of the satalites to determine that.
              Geosync orbits are not always equatorial. it's possible to have Geosync that's over spots other than the equator. Though I believe there is a sort of figure eight pattern for such satalites for some reason that might complicate a gps like system, but if thier already sub-geosync they're already dealing with such complications.

              M
    • Honestly, I dont see much of a need for GPS on mars. It's not like we need a precise 10 meter point of exactly where a rover is

      Such a system could be used on approach as well as on the Martian surface. Then failures like the Mars Global Explorer would be less likely as incoming craft could navigate, and course correct, themselves much much much more easily.
    • It is pretty important for a rover to know where it is. If you want any sort of autonomy, the rover is going to need to know its location. There is only so much you can glean from camera data. A rover would probably prefer sub 10 meter resolution as it paints a much better picture of exactly where it is
    • Why is it a pain to make GPS work? (that's serious, not sarcastic) It seems like syncronizing clocks would be just the same whether one was 3 miles away or 500,000 miles away. You send a signal, with knowledge of where each satellite will be when it receives said signal, then they correct for the time difference.

      Also, with gps on mars, you could have good mapping of the surface which would make it easier for the robot machines to move from here to over there.

      p

  • Unix geeks and their self-referencing acronyms... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Mars Aerostationary Relay Satellites, or MARSats

    Want to bet the original acronym was just "MARS" (MARS Aerostationary Relay Satellites), but some PHB didn't get the lame, overused joke?

  • Mars Galileo (Score:3, Funny)

    by amightywind ( 691887 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:12PM (#9653770) Journal

    I think I would be a waste of money for NASA to build a Mars GPS. The Europeans would not be satisfied with it and would want to build their own.

    • Re:Mars Galileo (Score:2, Interesting)

      by FireFury03 ( 653718 )
      It might interest you to know that after a *LOT* of complaining from the Americans, Europe has given in and changed the design of their propsed GPS system to allow the Americans to jam it if the want. Happilly America never needs to go to war with Europe since they can always get their quota of dead people through friendly fire...

  • This is a good thing (Score:4, Insightful)

    by goatstuffer ( 794548 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:13PM (#9653776)
    Building a Navstar-like constellation around Mars, while the obvious benefits may be elusive outside of a few probes in the next few years, will keep everyone focused on Mars itself. This can be only a good thing.

    The more we send to Mars, the more likely that there'll eventually be a manned mission. People don't like to abandon projects once they've invested a great deal of time and effort.

    Sure, I know there's a lot of "more useful" and "efficient" things to spend the money on. Then again, who wants to be "efficient", let's explore!
    • ... now we have to land unmanned probes on the planet without smacking a LMO (Low Mars Orbit) satellite on the way down. I know it doesn't happen on Earth, but come on, the record for getting kit onto Mars without dropping it isn't exactly great now, is it?

  • Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:13PM (#9653785)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • This is a really interesting concept. I searched around google for a bit but only came up with this http://web.abnormal.com/~thogard/products/pulsar. h tml [abnormal.com], which doesn't take into account the point of the other reply (how do you tell which pulse is which?). If anyone has more info, please post links. As the the other poster's conjecture that one could use directions to do the trig, It'd probably be pretty difficult given how far away these things are - I suspect the accuracy required for any reasonably pre

  • A Good Step (Score:2, Funny)

    by dykofone ( 787059 )
    I for one view this as an excellent step in the right direction. I hope to see such features added as DirecTV and XM Radio to further along this budding consumer market.

    Oh, wait, GPS is more than just a fancy toy?!

  • what a waste! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:14PM (#9653794)
    Yet another daring spaceproject just to make space availible for rich people who could spend their money on better things! This will never lead to anything good. We have problems down here to take care of first. We should solve ALL our problems before even thinking of going into space! Space is a waste of our taxmoney! We should not only stay where we are, indeed, we should strive to turn the clock back! I want to live in a cave and eat raw fish.
    • "Yet another daring spaceproject just to make space availible for rich people who could spend their money on better things!"

      Yeah! We should all focus on curing cancer!

      TV's gonna suck for a while, though...
  • "Sounds like a waste to me. I mean, are we really going to be sending that many more rovers before we start considering sending a human exploration team?"

    The answer: Yes, Yes and YES! It costs Billions to send brave people who risk everything to go somewhere we won't ever see and might perish as well.

    If someone came up to you and said. "I want to shoot you up into space....."

    Don't you think you would like to have an advantage?

    I would prefer that they DO send at least some sort of support around a plan
    • Absolutely. Send these GPS satellites there first, and more rovers and then of course modules and large cargo ships with necessary equipment to ensure as much safety as possible once we go there.

  • hum (Score:4, Interesting)

    by mpost4 ( 115369 ) * on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:18PM (#9653847) Homepage Journal
    now that we have 2 planets with sats, could we use that to start a solare system position system, just put a gps system around venus and Mercury we now have 4 points to work with, so we can get our 3d postion in the solar system

    • Re:hum (Score:3, Funny)

      by IsaacW ( 543020 )
      we now have 4 points to work with, so we can get our 3d postion in the solar system
      Well, that could work... at least until Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are all perfectly in a line, at which time not only does your SSPS receiver start giving you junk coordinates, but you simultaneously win the lottery, get promoted to CEO of your company, and finally catch the eye of both the Olsen twins!

      That last part's only if your birthday is in September though...

  • Condolences (Score:3, Insightful)

    by dark-br ( 473115 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:18PM (#9653849) Homepage
    Advocates of the flying car, personal nuclear generator, and personal rocket packs send their condolences to anyone holding out for hopes of an interplanetary network anytime soon.

    • Re:Condolences (Score:1, Offtopic)

      by Madcapjack ( 635982 )
      Advocates of the horseless carriage, the personal computer, and the personal mobile phone send their condolences to anyone holding out for hopes of an interplanetary network anytime soon.

  • Iridium (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Finally a use for all those dorman irridium sattelites! Send them to Mars! Just alter their orbit, one by one until thay are on a 10 year trajectory towards martian orbiotalinsertion.

  • Ah crap! (Score:4, Funny)

    by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:28PM (#9653944) Homepage Journal
    My Mars GPS is measured in AUs!
  • What folks fail to recognize is that there is a huge (read costly) Earth-based infrastucture to VERY ACCURATELY measure and predict GPS satellite orbits. This information is beamed up to the individual GPS sattelites, which in turn is broadcasted to GPS users in "ephemeris messages". These messages change anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. Seems like it would be quite a bit of work to perform this for the proposed Martian GPS system. Accurately measuring the orbital parameters of man-made sattelites Pparked ar
  • I want to be the first to plant a geocache on Mars. I'll make it easy and leave it right out in the open, it'll be a 5,1. Tought to get there, but easy to find when you do arrive. And I'd put a travel bug that is trying to get to Ursala Major . . .

  • find those little speeding rovers! (Score:3, Funny)

    by peter303 ( 12292 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:33PM (#9653998)
    At a velocity of ten meters per hour, do we really need a GPS to avoid losing the rovers?

  • Nitpick: That's "Areostationary" (Score:4, Informative)

    by Urban Garlic ( 447282 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @01:38PM (#9654048)
    Satellites which are stationary relative to an observer on Mars should oughta be called "Areostationary", not "Aerostationary".

    This is because the Greek name for Mars is Ares, and conventionally, greek names are used for the roots of these sorts of things.

    See, e.g., here [aerospaceweb.org]

    I know, I know, English is a living language and the spelling error didn't change the meaning, so I should shut up. Pendants like me are domed to definately loose this rediculus fite.
    • Correct... and because of that, the preceding "Mars" is redundant leaving us with just "Areostationary Relay Satellites", or ARS for short... sounds to me that someone high up is desparate to avoid them being refered to as "Arses" by the engineers etc...

  • I think the idea is great. Probes that we send to the Red Planet will be able to utilize the network, even when on the dark side of the planet. If our dreams of terraforming the planet ever materialize, then this would also be a boon.

    However, deploying such a network would be a waste if it is not utilized. I'd hate to see funds wasted.

    On the other hand, if it is deployed, it could only mean that NASA/JPL is specualting on their prospects. Exciting!

  • Communications could be useful (Score:3, Insightful)

    by jekewa ( 751500 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @02:16PM (#9654427) Homepage Journal
    While I'm not up for any grand schemes too long before people or large installations of machines are in place, if the satellites functioned as communications also, that would reduce the effect of being "on the dark side" of the planet. Any messages to and from Earth (or elsewhere) could be relayed around the planet.

    On another thought, a slightly more enhanced, outward looking system could be put into place for scanning the rest of space while Mars and Earth are on opposite sides of the sun. Or this could be used just to get a view from farther away, or what have you.

  • Dibs! (Score:2, Funny)

    by pbemfun ( 265334 )
    I call dibs on the first geocache on Mars!

  • Earth Attacks (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    GPS satelites are fine as long as we get the military to put in SA, so we can deny the Martins any ability to use them in a counter-attack.

  • Uh (Score:4, Insightful)

    by HarveyBirdman ( 627248 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @02:51PM (#9654756) Journal
    Isn't this like someone in 1650 proposing a continental highway system for the New World?

  • SPACE.com response to allegation of recycling news (Score:4, Informative)

    by tariq_malik ( 795461 ) on Friday July 09, 2004 @02:58PM (#9654848)
    Dear Roland, While I do appreciate your interest in SPACE.com, I do feel it necessary to respond to the allegations that I have merely recycled a story and mission from 2000. This, in fact, is not the case as I will mention following. Your focus on previous Mars Network (Marsats and Microsats) constitutes one paragraph of a story targeted at future NASA missions and efforts. It was included - the images as well - to serve as a reference for the work that is going on today. The passage you refer follows: Previous network designs called for a constellation of small microsatellites called Marsnet to serve Mars explorers while a larger spacecraft, Marsat, would relay data between the planet and Earth. That is the only mention of such a system. Note the following: But current studies expect the system to grow gradually from piggybacked services aboard future science spacecraft to a dedicated platform, such as the anticipated Mars Telecommunications Orbiter set for 2009 - the first satellite specifically designed to facilitate communications with another world. You'll find that the bulk of this article highlights current efforts for Mars navigation and communication, and their usefulness for future exploration. You're allegation that Michael Mendillo has listed no research is absolutely false. His latest paper - cited in my article - was published in Radio Science in April of this year. Ionospheric effects upon a satellite navigation system at Mars Michael Mendillo Center for Space Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA RADIO SCIENCE, VOL. 39, RS2028, doi:10.1029/2003RS002933, 2004 You can find an abstract of the research here: http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2004/2003RS002933 .shtml While I appreciate your interest in both Mars and SPACE.com, I am disappointed that you did not contact me directly to air your concerns, instead posting your theories on a web journal with inaccurate depictions of my journalistic intent. My e-mail address is attached to every story that I write. I am open to discuss this matter at length with you should you have additional questions. Sincerely, Tariq Malik SPACE.com tmalik@hq.space.com

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