NASA Mars Science Lab Makes Major Discovery

[LPH]

Pure science is amazing.

NASA's Mars Science Lab has been sitting on Mars for 52 days and has found tiny round pebbles - supporting the idea of a former stream running on the surface of Mars.

"This is something that would have required thousands of years, if not a million or more years, to form," says Mars Science Laboratory project scientist John Grotzinger of Caltech.

The gravels in conglomerates at both outcrops range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. Some are angular, but many are rounded.

"The shapes tell you they were transported and the sizes tell you they couldn't be transported by wind. They were transported by water flow," said Curiosity science co-investigator Rebecca Williams of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz.

Source: Press Release

 

[nextgen]

I am astounded that the Opportunity Rover is still running. Albeit in reverse but still quite a feat. I respect anyone who dares to learn more about what is beyond our atmosphere. I personally would love to know what is out there but you would never get me out there looking. Here is the latest on where Opportunity is.

"
OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Rover Switches to Driving Backwards Due to Elevated Wheel Currents - sols 3636-3644, April 16, 2014-April 24, 2014:
Opportunity is exploring south of “Solander Point” on the west rim of Endeavour Crater.

The rover is headed to a region of clay minerals seen from orbit. Opportunity drove six times on Sols 3637, 3639, 3641, 3642, 3643 and 3644 (April 17, 19, 21, 22, 23 and April 24, 2014), totaling just over 656 feet (200 meters). Elevated motor currents have been seen in the right-front wheel. So in addition to extra actuator heating, the rover has switched to driving backwards again. The project is continuing to investigate mitigation strategies for the elevated wheel current.

On Sol 3639 (April 19, 2014), Opportunity passed another milestone of 24 miles (39 kilometers) of total odometry.

As of Sol 3643 (April 23, 2014), the solar array energy production was 658 watt-hours with an un-calibrated atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.273 and a solar array dust factor of 0.817.

Total odometry is 24.32 miles (39.14 kilometers)." <-------- Is directly quoted from http://marsrover.nasa.gov/mission/status.html#opportunity