Topic: Second hand account of what they actually found on Mars

[Dash Jones]

Well, I heard an interview (so that would be the first hand account) from the people running the show, and decided to post what I heard (so no, no internet reference, sorry about that).  There are other topics that cover it, but not quite like this.

Now it was obvious that one of the big reasons they sent the Mars exploration vehicle where they did was because they thought there was a higher chance of water there.  Just stating this before I go into what they stated.

Now onto a summation.

They had found a substance that was particularly hard on Mars.  In fact it was harder than most that they had run into and were having problems scraping it up.  The biggest problem wasn't getting it extracted however, it was getting it off their little shovel.  The substance had a tendancy to stick to the shovel.  This substance was found about two inches below the surface of Mars.  They eventually got enough into their ovens that they could test it.

The substance boiled an 100C, it was composed of two hydrocarbons and an oxygen.  It fit the bill that indeed, they had found water on Mars...or rather...they found Ice.  Not only did they find ice, but they found it two inches below Mars.  The next thing then, was to figure out if this ice ever melts to form water.  They also discovered Perchlorate.  Now what surprised them was that it was that it was in such quantities and was stable.  Perchlorate is used in Rockets for oxygen.  In space there is no oxygen, and higher up there isn't enough oxygen, so they use Perchlorte as a substance to help the fuel ignite.  Normally it will evaporate up into the air on our planet and then come down in the condensation and back out to the oceans where it evaporates again (at least that's what it sounded like he was explaining).  Perchlorate normally only exists in a state that can be like Mars when you find a very arid climate on Earth (which much of Mars is).

Their first thought was to eliminate any chance that the perchlorate was from their own lander.  The quantities of perchlorate in the soil was far too high and in too much concentration to be from them, hence it's natural to Mars.  Now this is applicable because they can see if the Ice ever melts.  If it melts they can trace a perchlorate trail showing where the water flows.  So their next step is to see if the ice ever melts (even if it is once every million years) and to trace where it flows.

The future of the lander after they finish with the soil is weather observation.  Unlike other landers, this one is in the artic circle (if I heard him right) and so can stay up a lot longer then the others, which should furnish them data for a longer period of time.

This ends what they talked about, or the summary.

I found some interesting items.  My own personal thoughts.  First, they found indications that Mars may be able to sustain life, if they could find the ice ever melting into liquid water, which is what their next step is.  Second, if we send manned missions to mars, we now know that there is a chance that they could gain at least one item for fuels to get off mars, that of Perchlorate, in order to perhaps give themselves more ability and mobility in what they use to get on and off the Red Planet.

So that's just what I heard and thought it might interest people here.

[Lieutenant_Q]

Given that it is up in the Arctic circle, which you are right, that means that it will have a SHORTER mission.  As Martian winter is coming soon, no light for the solar panels, means that it will lose power in about four to six months.  The little battery on the lander does not have the capacity to survive the Martian Winter.  There is a chance that they may be able to save it in low power mode for the winter, but with the amount of stuff that has malfunctioned on this lander, I doubt it will survive.

Compare that to Spirit and Opportunity, which operate near the Martian Equator, their mission can go on indefinitely. At least until something critical breaks.

[Dash Jones]

Ah, my bad.  Difference between reading it and hearing it I suppose, as well as the time it was from when I heard it to when I typed it down.  Thanks for the correction.

[knightstorm]

Compare that to Spirit and Opportunity, which operate near the Martian Equator, their mission can go on indefinitely. At least until something critical breaks.

As dust builds up on the panels, and they become less efficient.  Eventually, the rover dies.

[Rod ONeal]

Just thinking/wondering aloud here.

If manned missions go to Mars there's water. There's also this Perchlorte. I'm curious to know if it could be "Mined and refined" into O2? If so, this could cut down dramatically the basic supplies of water and oxygen that would need to be stored for such a mission. Something that, I'd imagine, would be a major overhead for a manned Mars mission.