* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Mars Global Surveyor image

Blobrana · L

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR IMAGES January 5-11, 2006

oMartian Artwork (Released 5 January 2006)
oPolar Layers (Released 6 January 2006)
oSecondaries near Cerberus (Released 7 January 2006)
oDunes in Brashear (Released 8 January 2006)
oNirgal Vallis (Released 9 January 2006)
oMars at Ls 357 Degrees (Released 10 January 2006)
oEos Chaos Rocks (Released 11 January 2006)

Blobrana · L

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR IMAGES December 29, 2005 - January 4, 2006

oAscraeus Depression (Released 29 December 2005)
oPolar Summer (Released 30 December 2005)
oZephyria Channel (Released 31 December 2005)
oLight-toned Rock (Released 1 January 2006)
oDunes in Noachis (Released 2 January 2006)
o2 Years on Mars! MOC View of Spirit Rover on Husband Hill (Released 3 January 2006)
oMars at Ls 357 Degrees (Released 4 January 2006)

Blobrana · L

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR IMAGES December 15-21, 2005

o Inverted Valley (Released 15 December 2005)
o Marte Vallis (Released 16 December 2005)
o Polar Features (Released 17 December 2005)
o Meridiani Scene (Released 18 December 2005)
o Double Impact (Released 19 December 2005)
o Mars at Ls 341 Degrees (Released 20 December 2005)
o Eyes of Ganges (Released 21 December 2005)

Blobrana · L

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR IMAGES December 8-14, 2005

oSouth Polar Cap (Released 8 December 2005)
oPolar Pit (Released 9 December 2005)
oPolar Layers (Released 10 December 2005)
oWest Candor Rocks (Released 11 December 2005)
oBanded Argyre (Released 12 December 2005)
oMars at Ls 341 Degrees (Released 13 December 2005)
oDust Devil Art (Released 14 December 2005)

Blobrana · L

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR IMAGES December 1-7, 2005

oDaedalia Streak (Released 1 December 2005)
oLycus Sulci (Released 2 December 2005)
oTractus Catena Pits (Released 3 December 2005)
oCrater and Streaks (Released 4 December 2005)
oGullied Crater (Released 5 December 2005)
oMars at Ls 341 Degrees (Released 6 December 2005)
oNortheast Isidis (Released 7 December 2005)

Blobrana · L

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR IMAGES November 24-30, 2005

oGullied Slope (Released 24 November 2005)
oMid-latitude Gullies (Released 25 November 2005)
oArgyre Streaks (Released 26 November 2005)
oDust Devil Streaks (Released 27 November 2005)
oMeridiani Outcrops (Released 28 November 2005)
oMars at Ls 324 Degrees (Released 29 November 2005)
oCrater Interior (Released 30 November 2005)

Blobrana · L

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR IMAGES November 10-23, 2005

oHerschel's Dunes (Released 10 November 2005)
oEast Arabia Landforms (Released 11 November 2005)
oZephyria Flows (Released 12 November 2005)
oAscraeus Pits (Released 13 November 2005)
oWhite Rock (Released 14 November 2005)
oMars at Ls 324 Degrees (Released 15 November 2005)
oSmall Yardangs (Released 16 November 2005)
oDust-covered Flow (Released 17 November 2005)
oLandslide in Mutch (Released 18 November 2005)
oSouth Mid-latitude Gullies (Released 19 November 2005)
o8 Degree N 7 Degree W Crater (Released 20 November 2005)
oCrater in Arabia (Released 21 November 2005)
oMars at Ls 324 Degrees (Released 22 November 2005)
oLight-toned Rocks (Released 23 November 2005)

Blobrana · L

MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR IMAGES November 3-9, 2005

oIsidis Planitia (Released 3 November 2005)
oOphir Landslide (Released 4 November 2005)
oRussell Dune Gullies (Released 5 November 2005)
oSedimentary Rocks (Released 6 November 2005)
oImpact Crater (Released 7 November 2005)
oMars at Ls 324 Degrees (Released 8 November 2005)
oDefrosting Terrain (Released 9 November 2005)

Blobrana · L

An image of the suspected crash site for the Mars Polar Lander has turned out to contain only natural features of the Martian landscape.

NASA’s Mars Polar Lander (MPL) was lost during its entry through Mars’s atmosphere in December 1999. An investigation determined that the lander’s legs had deployed before touching down, which may have sent a false signal that the craft had landed, causing the engines to shut down prematurely.
The lander could then have plummeted 40 metres to the surface.

For two months after the accident, the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft tried to spot its remains. Researchers looked for a bright parachute within a kilometre of a darkened area that would indicate impact debris flung up by an engine blast.

In 2004, researchers at Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, California, US, made a breakthrough. They spotted the landing sites of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, including the parachutes, which were similar to the one used by MPL. That indicated the type of feature they should look for.
Using images from 2000, the Malin team found a site showing a bright area resembling a parachute and a dark area that could have been a rocket blast. However, the images were not conclusive because the camera’s resolution was not high enough, at 1.5 metres per pixel.

To get a better look at the site, they used a new technique to improve the resolution of the camera on MGS. As the spacecraft passed over the target site, the probe pitched smoothly forward to slow the apparent speed of the ground below. That meant the camera was focused on the site for longer, delivering a higher resolution image.

On 27 September, 2005, they finally got a good look at the site, but the features that could have been the remains of the MPL had vanished.

"We conclude that our interpretation of these features was in error. This is NOT the location of the Mars Polar Lander" - Malin researchers.

Mars Polar Lander NOT Found (Released 17 October 2005)