and their biggest mysteries. The next rover mission, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), is set to launch in the fall of 2011, and the linked article describes the final group of potential science targets selected from an original list of 50. The map shown above (click to enlarge) highlights the final four in bold, white labels. (Read more about the technical review process.)This is not a trivial exercise. Consider mounting a similar exploration mission to Earth, and you were given the opportunity to land a sole robotic explorer at only a single location, while attempting to optimize both geological and biological science goals. In addition, you are further constrained by safety and the operational limits of the spacecraft, and must set down within a defined range of latitude and below a certain land surface elevation.
So, where would you land on Earth?
Image credit: NASA/JPL.
No comments:
Post a Comment