Water on Mars: all you need to know about the opening of NASA
Makradar Technologies / / December 19, 2019
The news that NASA found water on Mars, spread around the world and has become the main per day. After the excitement died down, many began to wonder: what exactly that means. We decided to find out what kind it is water, much of her on the red planet, and that it can do more.
It's like water?
The first signs of water on Mars was found five years ago, but the reliability of the evidence was not there. The chemical composition of the finds, too, could not be determined. But now NASA researchers were able to combine the images taken by the orbiting HiRISE camera, and spectral analysis of the soil made the device CRISM. It worked. Now we know that the dark stripes, as if flowing down the slopes of Mars, are seasonal in nature and appear annually. Spectral analysis confirmed that the soil in this area is filled with hydrated salts. What does it mean? This means that on the ground of the red planet dripping salt water, and then - has evaporated.
When the first suspicion of the presence of water on Mars arose five years ago, the researchers could not find evidence for their hypotheses. The fact that the water appears each season, just found out now, after long observation of the surface of Mars. Previously, there was no resources to investigate both the soil and the appearance of the planet. Now, there are enough devices and the information collected in order to draw the first conclusions.
Exactly how much water on Mars?
Of course, everyone is interested in exactly how much water found on Mars NASA. Specialists of the agency clarify: we are talking about a small stream. As if you were not closed properly the tap in the kitchen or one of your pipes start to leak. Wait Niagara Falls on Mars should not - no prerequisites for this are not present.
Is there life on Mars?
The main question that can tune many: there is life in this water? But to answer it is difficult for several reasons. For example, to the places of its occurrence can not send the rover Curiosity. The little robot simply does not have the tools for the detection of life on the red planet. As a next step calls NASA study further surface. The space agency has detailed photo and video data of about three per cent of the planet's surface. These data are now looking to find a more "wet" places on Mars.
Is it possible to send people to Mars to study the water?
To explore the dark streaks on the surface of the Red Planet, specialists from NASA have greatly contrive. On the way to discoveries we are waiting for a lot of obstacles, among which is the lack of development of science, and the bureaucracy and complexity of the mission. For example, the best way out situation would be an expedition to the Red Planet - and the man would have learned all the ropes himself. John Gryunsfeld, Chief Scientific missions in NASA's, said that he wanted to send to Mars astrobiology team, but for now it is impossible. Visit people on a neighboring planet is planned for 2030 th year, so far handed in Martian water nobody will climb.
Well, why not send a robot?
There "Outer Space Treaty" signed in 1967 by the United States, Britain and the USSR. It says in particular the inadmissibility of contamination of celestial bodies terrestrial bacteria. It is classified as "harmful contamination" of other worlds organics from Earth. So every spacecraft that leaves from the planet into space is thoroughly cleaned. The microbes are dried, chemical treatment, UV and so on. It would seem that this is enough to be sure of perfect order on the ship, but the errors constantly occur again and again. For example, the rover Curiosity began its work on the red planet with 65th bacteria on board.
Due to the fact that we can not get rid of the "fellow travelers" on board the spacecraft, Research Committee Space regions described in detail on Mars, which should be considered as potentially useful for life. All spacecraft (and the people, if it so happens) should avoid these areas of the red planet, unless the equipment is not guaranteed to be perfectly clean. Otherwise, we run the risk of infecting Mars with microbes from Earth, and thus violate the purity of the experiment.
Unfortunately, the rover in 2020, which could become the next robot, suitable for the search for life on Mars is not suitable under the conditions of the Committee. Its structure includes a heat source, and therefore, the unit can heat water Mars. If the robot body will be at least a couple of microbes from the Earth, they can settle down on Mars, hitting in a warm and moist environment.
In general, to make a spaceship perfectly clean as possible. And design it so that it does not heat the space around them - too. But it is so expensive that even the major space agencies of the world are tightening their belts tighter. Where to get money for such a mission is not yet clear.
Based on materials Popular Science, Gizmodo, NASA.