Taking a
Robotic Geologist to Mars
As Mars
rover Curiosity makes its final approach to the Red Planet, two UA
geoscientists are getting ready to help solve some of the mysteries of its
geologic past.
On Aug. 5,
at about 10:30 p.m., an already busy summer will kick into overdrive for
University of Arizona geosciences professor Bob Downs and one of his graduate
students, Shaunna Morrison. At that time – provided everything goes as planned
– Curiosity, the most sophisticated exploration vehicle ever sent to another
planet, will parachute toward the Martian surface faster than the speed of
sound after a nine-month journey through space. And as soon as it sinks its six
wheels into the red dust, the two scientists specializing in mineralogy will
have not one, but two planets to deal with.
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