Important discovery of Mars rovers - Business portal wnp.pl

Opportunity, although nearly nine-year-old, does not intend to retire. The recent discovery is perhaps the most important in all of its missions. Jeep is not slowing down, and go on their way to the surface of Mars.

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now is to get to a point named “Solander Point”, which will have a much more strata than in the area called “Cape York” which found yourself fro the last 20 months. Both areas are located on the slope of the Endeavor crater with a diameter of 22 kilometers.

In May, shortly before leaving the “Cape York” Opportunity has used some of its science instruments to examine rocks marked as “Esperance”. The test used was the rock abrasion tool, alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and microscope located on the automatic shoulder.

analysis results indicate that the clay minerals were encountered, and this may indicate the presence of water on the planet ever.

– Results of the study “Esperance” are among the most important discoveries in all of our mission. The composition of the rocks tell us about the environmental conditions that affect the minerals. For the rock flowed a lot of water – said Steve Squyres of Cornell University, principal investigator of the mission.

Discovery Opportunity is consistent with the results obtained by another rover – Curiosity, which is also found clay minerals. To suggest that Mars once occurred moist environment also come from other probes exploring the planet, for example from the European probe Mars Express orbit.

The researchers hope to further discoveries made by Opportunity.

– Jeep is in very good condition, for eight and a half years of work on the Martian surface. The level of energy is comparable to the state it had achieved one Martian year. We expect the effective exploration in the spring season and the summer – said John Callas of NASA (Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California), Project Manager Mars Exploration Rover, which operates under the Opportunity.

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