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the strange attraction of gail crater presented by science at nasa
curiosity is about to go to mars darkar side to rover
also known as the mars science lab
is scheduled for launch in late november or early december
two thousand eleven from the kennedy space center
after an eight-month voyage to mars curiosity will land at the foot of the
three mile high mountain neck returning gail
it sounds a little on amount in the middle of an impact crater
wendy intact and smashed a plaque
some scientists believe the ninety six mile wide crater filled in the sentiment
overtime and relentless martian wins carved in mountain in the center erin
now stands nearly three times higher than the grand canyon is deep
because of its history missed strangely sculpted mountain is the ideal place a
curiosity to conduct its mission of exploration into the red planet the past
joy crispy msl deputy project scientist from nasa step propulsion lab explains
this may be one of the thickest exposed sections of layered sedimentary rocks in
the solar system
the rack record preserving inspires holds stories there billions of years
old
stories about whether
and for how long mars might have been habitable
today the red planet is a radiation trounced
into the cold bleak world
enormous dust storms explode across the barren landscape and dark and martian
skies for months at a time
dictator from mars reconnaissance orbiter suggest
that mars once hosted gas to lakes and flowing rivers
gail crater and it's not multi listening trading stories that matthew gone back
mars exploration program landing site scientist from j_p_l_
the layers there are chronicle myers environmental history
in a gentle slopes around the mountain curiosity will prospect for organic
molecules the chemical building blocks of life
mars reconnaissance orbiter has found an intriguing signature of clay
near the bottom of the mountain and sulfate minerals a little higher up
both minerals are formed in the presence of water
which increases potential for life family environments
undertakes a bakery is minerals we detected on mars today can be found in
this one location explains gone back
clay settles slowly in water and forms little platelets that conform around two
things
hardening everytime meaning casing damning cast
clay concealer ganic stuff from the outside environment
looks like it preserved dinosaur bones on earth
if ur again x ever existed on mars they could be preserved in the claim
economic ladder teeming with life finding building year-old well preserved
organics is difficult
but curiosity will find on the their present in the samples it takes
the rover is equipped with the most advanced suite of instruments for
scientific studies ever sent to the mars surface
and these are brought to bear on gil crater and its mysteriously layered
mountain
who knows what discoveries will follow
for updates from the red planet
follow your own curiosity science dot nasa