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Preparation begins for new European space mission to Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists searching for life on Mars are now preparing for the most in-depth probe of the Red Planet ever undertaken.
Phoenix Mars Team Opens Window on Scientific Process
(PhysOrg.com) -- Phoenix Mars mission scientists spoke today on research in progress concerning an ongoing investigation of perchlorate salts detected in soil analyzed by the wet chemistry laboratory aboard NASA's Phoenix Lander.
Swiss nano-microscope delivers first images recorded on Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- For the first time ever, nanostructures have been measured on another planet. On July 9, the NASA "Phoenix" Mars Probe recorded images with nanometer resolution (one nanometer roughly corresponds to 0.00000004 inch) using its onboard Swiss-made atomic force microscope, and successfully transmitted these images back to Earth.
Phoenix Returns Treasure Trove for Science
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander performed its first wet chemistry experiment on Martian soil flawlessly yesterday, returning a wealth of data that for Phoenix scientists was like winning the lottery.
Mars air once had moisture
A new analysis of Martian soil data led by University of California, Berkeley, geoscientists suggests that there was once enough water in the planet's atmosphere for a light drizzle or dew to hit the ground, leaving tell-tale signs of its interaction with the planet's surface.
Laser fluorescence could find life on Mars
A team of scientists from the United States and the United Kingdom has developed a technique using ultraviolet light to identify organic matter in soils that they say could be used to document the existence of life on Mars.
Where man boldly goes, bacteria follow -- Are we contaminating space?
Life in outer space is an absolute certainty, and it is likely to be more familiar than we might think, according to an article in the May issue of
Microbiology Today. Ever since the start of the space race we have sent more than just satellites and astronauts into space: spacecraft are not routinely decontaminated and are teeming with microbial life.
Phoenix Spacecraft Commanded to Unstow Arm
Scientists leading NASA's Phoenix Mars mission from the University of Arizona in Tucson sent commands to unstow its robotic arm and take more images of its landing site early today.
