The Grand Canyon has been getting mentioned in a number of recent articles about Mars this month, as Arizona and Mars have something in common: a very big ditch. The first images sent back from the European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter showed a deep, nearly unending gorge that is referred to by many as the “Martian Grand Canyon.” Called Valles Marineris, it often gets comparison to Arizona’s top attraction in order to put into perspective the sheer scale of features on Mars.
September 30th, 2003
Exploration of Red Planet continues with 2 new rovers Arizona Daily Sun
Two new rovers, called the Mars Exploration Rovers, with a host of new instruments, are set to land on Mars in January of next year. The first of the rovers, described by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Jeffrey Johnson as being the size of a riding lawnmower, is set to land on the inhospitable Martian surface Jan. 4, 2004; the second will land on Jan. 25.
September 11th, 2003
Mission to Meteor Crater Arizona Daily Sun
Although a manned mission to Mars remains in the realm of science fiction, more than a dozen NASA scientists and contractors have been conducting on-the-ground experiments with robotics, mapping and communication equipment around Meteor Crater. The data they have collected during the two weeks of experiments, which end today, will help lay down the groundwork and identify challenges with missions to Mars. But no date has been set for that next great space adventure.