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NASA has Mars missions planned through decade BY WILLIAM HARWOOD SPACEFLIGHT NOW Posted: December 31, 2003
NASA plans to follow the 2003 rover missions with launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in August 2005, a 1,900-kilogram (4,200-pound) spacecraft loaded with nine state-of-the-art instruments and cameras that are "truly an order of magnitude beyond that which we've done with Odyssey and MGS," said James Garvin, NASA's chief Mars scientist. In 2007, NASA will launch a so-called Scout mission. Four such missions were under consideration: A lander built with spare parts left over from the scrapped 2001 mission; a rocket-powered airplane; an orbiter to look for trace gases in the atmosphere that are indicative of biological processes; and a mission to bring a sample of the martian atmosphere back to Earth for detailed analysis. In August, the space agency selected the "Phoenix" mission that uses the 2001 lander to explore the martian north pole. "The science instruments that Phoenix brings to Mars are chosen for their ability to analyze the ice and soils of the arctic region," said Peter Smith of the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory that will head the mission.
"We believe there is missing carbon and once we understand it, what it's like, where it came from, we'll understand more about the possibilities of life, or at least of there having been life on Mars at at least one extremely high priority site." Following the 2009 launch, NASA will either press ahead with a sample return mission or additional missions to further refine potential landing sites. Ultimately, Garvin hopes, humans will follow. "We think we have a hell of a program," Garvin said. "It's going to be exciting. I think we're going to find some remarkable stuff."
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Mission facts Mission preview - Our story examining the Mars Exploration Rover project. Getting to Mars - Our story previewing the rovers' descent and landing to the Martian surface. Illustration - A graphic showing the entry, descent and landing timeline. Gusev Crater - The landing site for the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. MER spacecraft - A technical look at the parts and pieces of the Mars Exploration Rover spacecraft. Mission science - A look at the science instruments and objectives for the Mars rovers. Future exploration - Our story looking at NASA's plans for Mars missions through the decade.  Soviet Space  For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store. Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Viking patch  This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 7 DVD  For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Gemini 12  Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Gemini 7  Gemini 7: The NASA Mission Reports covers this 14-day mission by Borman and Lovell as they demonstrated some of the more essential facts of space flight. Includes CD-ROM.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo patches  The Apollo Patch Collection: Includes all 12 Apollo mission patches plus the Apollo Program Patch. Save over 20% off the Individual price. Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Mars Rover mission patch  A mission patch featuring NASA's Mars Exploration Rover is available from our online.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo 9 DVD  On the road to the moon, the mission of Apollo 9 stands as an important gateway in experience and procedures. This 2-DVD collection presents the crucial mission on the voyage to the moon.Choose your store:U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide Apollo Collage  This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.U.S. STORESTS-127 Patch  The official embroidered patch for shuttle Endeavour's flight to finish building Japanese section of the space station.U.S. STOREWORLDWIDE STORE Hubble Patch  The official embroidered patch for mission STS-125, the space shuttle's last planned service call to the Hubble Space Telescope, is available for purchase.U.S. STOREWORLDWIDE STOREProject Orion  The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.U.S. STOREFallen Heroes Patch Collection  The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.U.S. STOREWORLDWIDE STORE
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