Cosmonaut, Russian space engineer speak to Powhatan students. Russian cosmonaut Yury Usachev logged more than 670 days in space but even he has his limits.
Speaking yesterday to several hundred students at Powhatan High School, Usachev shuddered at the thought of a possible manned mission to Mars and said he’d let the next generation of space pioneers sign up.
March 31st, 2006
Mars mission seen as possible Richmond Times-Dispatch
October 13th, 2004
With robots on Mars, NASA hits a home run Richmond Times-Dispatch
Many people think that the planet Mars is cursed. Scientists don’t believe in curses, but it is true that two-thirds of all missions to Mars have failed. Doing laboratory work on Mars is very hard.
We cannot send humans there (yet). We send robots instead, to look for water and signs of life.
Today there are two six-wheeled robots cruising on the surface of Mars. To be there, after a six-month trip through space, is a miracle of modern technology.
January 27th, 2004
Hard to get a read on Red Planet’s clime Richmond Times-Dispatch
As any travel agent knows, it’s all about the weather. Accommodations may be luxurious and the food exquisite, but future daytrippers to Mars will require predictable climes for successful missions, scientists with NASA’s Langley Research Center said yesterday. Even with timely forecasts from on-the-scene orbiters circling the Red Planet, NASA was still surprised by the elements as the rovers Spirit and Opportunity came in for their landings.