A team of scientists has discovered bacteria in a hole drilled more than 4,000 feet deep in volcanic rock on the island of Hawaii near Hilo, in an environment they say could be analogous to conditions on Mars and other planets. Bacteria are being discovered in some of Earth’s most inhospitable places, from miles below the ocean’s surface to deep within Arctic glaciers. The latest discovery is one of the deepest drill holes in which scientists have discovered living organisms encased within volcanic rock, said Martin R. Fisk, a professor in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University.
May 6th, 2002
Dangers On Mars Require Extensive Evaluation Before Human Exploration Could Proceed ScienceDaily Magazine
When NASA’s Mars Pathfinder landed on the Red Planet in 1997, it released a rover that monitored the landscape, recorded weather conditions, and broadcast pictures of the surface to Earth. Presently, there is no official date or funding for a human mission to Mars, but the knowledge gained from the Pathfinder and other missions would contribute to plans for eventual human exploration of the planet. Before astronauts can take the first steps on Mars, however, much research needs to be done to guide mission planners and hardware designers. A new report from the National Academies’ National Research Council outlines the environmental, chemical, and biological hazards that NASA needs to assess before sending a human mission to Mars.
December 26th, 2000
Concepts Developed For Long-Term Habitation Of Mars For NASA ScienceDaily Magazine
University of Arkansas School of Architecture researchers and students, in cooperation with NASA, have developed concepts for long-term habitation of Mars in response to the Mars Reference Mission, developed at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Ted Krueger, assistant professor of architecture, Jerry Wall, professor of architecture and David J. Fitts, B. Arch. ’80, Flight Crew Support Division of NASA, asked students to design living and working conditions for the Mars surface. The students addressed issues related to the interior design of capsules for Mars, types of living quarters on the planet’s surface, the design of rovers or jeeps for ground transportation on the planet and ultimately, the formation of a larger outpost to sustain a permanent human presence on the planet.
November 8th, 2000
NASA Outlines Mars Exploration Program For Next Two Decades ScienceDaily Magazine
By means of orbiters, landers, rovers and sample return missions, NASA’s revamped campaign to explore Mars, announced today, is poised to unravel the secrets of the red planet’s past environments, the history of its rocks, the many roles of water and, possibly, evidence of past or present life. Six major missions are planned in this decade as part of a scientific tapestry that will weave a tale of new understanding of Earth’s sometimes enigmatic and surprising neighbor.