Rover Accidentally Uncovers Mars Hydrothermal Vent

The rover Spirit has been dragging one wheel around the surface of Mars for some time. One of the resulting gouges revealed a mineral deposit which was probably caused by a hydrothermal vent. This implies a large amount of water was present when the vent was active.

Re:Kudos!

[captn ecks]

No, that was a mistake by over zealous accountants - NASA Administrator Michael Griffin quickly corrected that and promised continued full funding for both rovers as long as they continue to operate.

Re:Kudos!

[Megane]

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin quickly corrected that and promised continued full funding for both rovers as long as they continue to operate.

That's good to know (I hadn't heard that anywhere), though Spirit is essentially out of commission for a few more months due to winter weather, unless it gets its solar panels cleaned off by wind. Right now it's having a hard enough time just keeping warm. [nasa.gov]

Old new

[jgoemat]

You all know this occurred a whole year ago, right? Compare the pictures in the linked article to the pictures in the article linked to by this slahdot article [slashdot.org] from May 21, 2007...

Re:Difficult?

[WindBourne]

There are a number of models that are being experimented with that should work. Obviously helium AND will have a much small payload than here due to decreased density. The problem will be that the balloons will NOT go high up. That means if they hit Olympus Mons, well, it is stuck. They have also tested several wings that they are looking at for preditor type aircrafts. They are doing that work over here in Colorado.

Re:That would be a mistake

[mollymoo]

The biggest item that will come from the polar express will simply be the landing under power.

They landed the Vikings that way over 30 years ago, it's hardly new.

Re:Difficult?

[chaboud]

Minor correction, but the atmospheric pressure on Mars is generally said to be 1/150th of that of earth, or between 6 to 10 millibars.

Re:Difficult?

[jmauro]

In the Martian atmosphere, Hydrogen works better as a lifting gas. It'll give more lift per cubic meter than helium, lighter for launching into space and can compress into smaller canisters for in flight transportation. All this without the corresponding dangers and safety concerns since there is no oxygen in the Martian atmosphere to mix with it and make it explosive.

It's because there's a paper on it now

[argent]

The article itself links to an article from a year ago:

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Spirit_Rover_on_Mars_finds_water_made_'silica-rich_soil [wikinews.org]'

It's taken a year for the paper to be published in Science, along with more evidence of other silica outcrops.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080522145222.htm [sciencedaily.com]

Original sources:

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/320/5879/1063 [sciencemag.org]
http://www.mars.asu.edu/news/news-silica.html [asu.edu]