The Mars Curiosity rover has found proof of the existence of water on the planet, reported NASA. Images of stones “cemented into a layer of conglomerate rock,” indicating the presence of a streambed, are being studied by scientists. This evidence is the first of its kind to be found on Mars by any of the deployed rovers.
This sign of a flowing stream is an important discovery, as water is essential to life. Andrew Knoll, a planetary sciences professor at Harvard University told NPR, “[E]arlier rovers saw things that could be associated with groundwater that might occasionally bubble up — not the kind of flowing surface water that made these newly discovered rocks. Along with water, a planet requires carbon-based molecules and energy to sustain life.
The rover was positioned to land in Gale Crater, because “it looked like a place where a canyon stream had spilled water onto a plain.” The site was found between “the north rim of Gale Crater and the base of Mount Sharp, a mountain inside the crater,” as stated by NASA.
“In a couple of months, we’ll be on the road to Mount Sharp,” said Dr. John Grotzinger, the project scientist to The New York Times.
Scientists believe that the layered rock that encompasses Mount Sharp will tell the planet’s history, in the way that geologists create a timeline for Earth.
Curiosity is equipped with “a weather station; a device that shoots particles into the rock and measures X-rays coming out; and several cameras, including one that mimics the hand lens of a geologist for close-up looks at rocks.” It also has ChemCam, a device that will enable it to detect the elements in a rock by transforming parts into a gas and examining the colors that are released. ChemCam will be crucial to Mars Curiosity’s search for carbon.
The rover also features Sample Analysis at Mars, or Sam, which studies rock samples for carbon-based molecules. If carbon is detected, there may be even further proof of the possibility of life on Mars at some point in time.
Curiosity landed on Mars on August 6, 2012, eight months after its initial launch. It is the last major planetary program project project NASA expects to carry out for the next few years, due to budget limitations. Curiosity’s mission costs $2.5 billion; it aims to study the environment of early Mars. The mission is expect to last approximately two years.
Another effect of the rover’s mission, Curiosity has piqued the interest of science fans worldwide. From Mars Curiosity’s over one million Twitter followers, to Ultra HD Smooth Motion video of its landing being created by NASA enthusiasts, to websites offering virtual tours of the red planet, the rover has commanded global attention. Some hope that a renewed interest in NASA’s mission will incite increased participation in the STEM fields, along with an increase in research funding.
