Details Oleg Nekhaev
In direct air, in real time, in space-online mode, from October 19, 2016, on this page, an experimental broadcast from Mars should be conducted. At least it will try to display unusual event. His name is ExoMars. A new space expedition has been organized to the "red planet". This time, the joint efforts of Roscosmos and the European Space Agency (ESA).
Before that, on October 16, there was a successful separation from the orbital complex of the lander. And it was he who was supposed to land on October 19, 2016 tentatively at 14.42 (gmt) GMT, or at 17.42 Moscow time. Live broadcast from Mars - in the window below. ATTENTION!
During the landing, just above the surface of Mars, communication with the ExoMars ceased. Specialists are studying the latest telemetry and will decide on further actions. There are no solar panels on the Schiaparelli apparatus. The energy of the batteries will only last for a period of three to ten days.
Time GMT (Greenwich Mean Time):
On the morning of October 20 press conference on ExoMars. No new data. Telemetry has not yet been fully deciphered. Communication with the apparatus ceased at the final stage of the parachute operation. That is, if the automation failed at this stage, then it can be assumed that the module crashed during landing. Because at the end according to plan the parachute fired back and the jet engines turned on were supposed to provide a soft landing.
On October 21, the ESA reported the disaster: “According to preliminary estimates, the Schiaparelli fell from a height of two to four kilometers, so it gained significant speed, more than 300 kilometers per hour. (...) It is also possible that the lander exploded on impact [on the surface], as its fuel tanks were most likely still full,” the report says.
the 25th of Octoberone of the leading ExoMars experts announced that the computer failure, most likely (in June 2017 this was confirmed in the final opinion), became main reason disasters. Automation, without extinguishing the speed of the module, began to perform operations that did not correspond to the flight time. The device, even before touching the surface, had already deployed sensors for measurements. Then it crashed into Mars at high speed.
During the landing and landing of the Schiaparelli module, fifteen images from one camera were planned to be transmitted. The rest of the information was to be transmitted to Earth using a variety of sensors, which will once again try to answer the question about the reality of life on Mars. By the way, at the moment Mars is at a distance of 176 million kilometers from Earth. The signal transmission time from this planet is about 10 minutes. It takes a few more minutes for the ExoMars computer to process the information. Therefore, with good luck, the first Martian image can be seen on Earth only 12-15 minutes after the picture is taken there. These are the features of the live broadcast from Mars. The duration of the Schiaparelli module is determined to be only a few days.
Even on approach, the first technical failure on ExoMars had already happened. At this stage, telemetry suddenly stopped transmitting from the space module. But after a short time, the problem was eliminated by a signal from the Earth. In this regard, it must be remembered that in the Soviet-Russian space history Mars (unlike Venus) is a very inhospitable planet. Of the ten flights here, only a quarter can be considered successful with a stretch. Not a single spacecraft was able to complete its program in full. But, the first space station landed on Mars, was ours and it happened in 1971. The Americans tried very hard, but could not get ahead of the USSR in this. Most recently, the British Beagle 2 managed to land on Mars and then immediately stopped working due to a lack of power, as the solar panels did not open.
It should be noted right away that the current ExoMars is the first stage in the study of a distant planet in this joint project. In many ways, this is a preparatory stage, testing equipment and technologies. In 2020, the continuation of the mission will include the landing of the rover, drilling of the surface and a thorough study of the soil. But, by and large, there are no breakthrough moments in these expeditions. NASA has already done the same on Mars with its rovers. The only difference is that the Russian-European ExoMars will explore the planet in a completely different area. Perhaps this moment will lead to new discoveries.
This mission was launched with the help of a Russian launch vehicle. ExoMars includes Russian instruments on the orbital module: a spectrometric complex for studying the planet’s atmosphere and a neutron spectrometer, which measures, among other things, radiation from the very beginning of the station’s flight. Data from the latest sensitive instrument will be used to understand the extent of radiation exposure to people who will fly to Mars for the first time. There are quite a few scientific statements that for the health of a marsonaut, such a journey would be very detrimental or fatal. And it is precisely for the solution of this problem that all Martian studies of the last two decades have been purposefully carried out, and are being carried out. ExoMars should also either facilitate such a flight or collect data indicating the impossibility of a human stay on the "red planet". Although, first, we would need to answer the question: why do we need to fly there?
Camera high definition(HiRISE) obtained the first cartographic images of the surface of Mars from a height of 280 km, with a resolution of 25 cm / pixel!
Layered sediments in the Hebe Canyon.
Potholes on the wall of Gus crater. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Geysers of Manhattan. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
The surface of Mars is covered with dry ice. Have you ever played with dry ice (with leather gloves, of course!)? Then you probably noticed that dry ice from a solid state immediately passes into a gaseous state, in contrast to regular ice which, when heated, turns into water. On Mars, ice domes are made up of dry ice ( carbon dioxide). When the sun's rays fall on the ice in spring, it turns into gaseous state which causes surface erosion. Erosion gives rise to bizarre arachnid forms. This image shows channels that have been eroded and filled light ice, which contrasts with the muted red of the surrounding surface. In summer, this ice will dissolve into the atmosphere, leaving only channels that look like ghostly spiders carved into the surface. This type of erosion is typical only for Mars and is not possible under natural conditions on Earth, since the climate of our planet is too warm. Lyricist: Candy Hansen (March 21, 2011) (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Layered mineral deposits at the southern tip of a mid-latitude crater. Light layered deposits are visible in the center of the image; they appear along the edges of the mesas, located on a hill. Similar deposits can be found in many places on Mars, including craters and canyons near the equator. It could be formed as a result of sedimentary processes under the influence of wind and/or water. Dunes or folded formations are visible around the table mountain. The wrinkled structure is the result of differential erosion: when some materials are more easily eroded than others. It is possible that this area was once covered by soft sedimentary deposits, which have now disappeared as a result of erosion. Lyricist: Kelly Kolb (April 15, 2009) (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Underlying rocks protruding from the walls and central hill of the crater. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Solid structures of the salt mountain in the Ganges canyon. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Someone cut out a piece of the planet! (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Sand mounds formed as a result of spring sandstorms at the North Pole. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
A crater with a central slide, 12 kilometers in diameter. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Cerberus Fossae fault system on the surface of Mars. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
The purple dunes of Proctor Crater. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Exposures of light rocks on the walls of a table mountain located in the Land of the Sirens. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Spring changes in the Ithaca area. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Dunes of Russell Crater. Photographs taken at Russell Crater are reviewed many times to track changes in the landscape. This image shows isolated dark formations that were likely caused by repeated dust storms that carried light dust off the surface of the dunes. Narrow channels continue to form on the steep surfaces of the sand dunes. The indentations at the end of the channels may be where blocks of dry ice accumulated before passing into a gaseous state. Lyricist: Ken Herkenhoff (March 9, 2011) (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Chutes on the walls of the crater under the exposed rock. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Areas where a lot of olivine may be found. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Ravines between dunes at the bottom of the Kaiser crater. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Valley Mort. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Sediments at the bottom of the canyon Labyrinth of the night. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Holden crater. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Crater of St. Mary (Santa Maria Crater). The HiRISE spacecraft took a color image of the crater of St. Mary, which shows the Opportunity robocar, which is stuck near the southeastern rim of the crater. Robocar has been collecting data on this relatively new 300-foot-diameter crater to determine what factors may have contributed to its formation. Pay attention to the surrounding blocks and beam formations. Spectral analysis of CRISM reveals the presence of hydrosulfates in this area. The wreckage of the robocar is located 6 kilometers from the rim of the Endeavor Crater, the main materials of which are hydrosulfates and phyllosilicates. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
The central hill of a large, well-preserved crater. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Dunes of Russell Crater. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Layered deposits in the Hebe Canyon. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Eumenides Dorsum yardang area. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Sand movements in the Gusev crater, located near the Columbia Hills. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
The northern ridge of Hellas Planitia, which is possibly rich in olivine. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Seasonal changes in the lot South Pole covered with cracks and ruts. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Remains of the south polar caps in spring. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Frozen depressions and ruts on the pole. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Deposits (possibly of volcanic origin) in the Labyrinth of the Night. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Layered outcrops on the wall of a crater located at the North Pole. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Solitary arachnid formation. This formation is the channels carved into the surface, which were formed under the influence of the evaporation of carbon dioxide. The channels are organized radially, widening and deepening as they approach the center. On Earth, such processes do not occur. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Relief of the Athabasca Valley.
Crater cones of the Utopia Plain (Utopia Planitia). The Utopia Plain (Utopia Planitia) is a giant lowland located in the eastern part of northern hemisphere Mars, and adjacent to the Great Northern Plain. The craters in this area are of volcanic origin, as evidenced by their shape. Craters are practically not subject to erosion. Cone-shaped mounds or craters like the ones shown in this image are quite common in the northern latitudes of Mars. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Polar sand dunes. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
The interior of Tooting Crater. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Trees on Mars!!! In this photograph, we see something strikingly similar to trees growing among the dunes of Mars. But these "trees" are an optical illusion. These are actually dark deposits on the lee side of the dunes. They appeared due to the evaporation of carbon dioxide, "dry ice". The evaporation process begins at the bottom of the ice formation, as a result of this process, gas vapors escape through the pores to the surface and along the way carry out dark deposits that remain on the surface. This picture was taken by the HiRISE device installed on board the reconnaissance NASA satellite Orbiter in April 2008. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
Victoria Crater. The photo shows deposits on the crater wall. The bottom of the crater is covered with sand dunes. On the left, the wreckage of NASA's Opportunity robocar is visible. The image was taken by the HiRISE spacecraft aboard the NASA Orbiter reconnaissance satellite in July 2009. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona)
Linear dunes. These streaks are linear sand dunes at the bottom of a crater in the Noachis Terra region. The dark areas are the dunes themselves, and the light areas are the gaps between the dunes. The photo was taken on December 28, 2009 by the HiRISE (High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) astronomical camera aboard the NASA Orbiter reconnaissance satellite. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
US National Aeronautics and Research Administration outer space(NASA) has unveiled a stunning 360° panorama of Mars captured by the cameras of the Curiosity robot.
The rover has reportedly climbed the Naukluft Plateau in the region of Aeolis Mons, informally known as Mount Sharp. The journey was fraught with risks, as the rover had to navigate between sharp rocks and boulders that pose a threat to the aluminum wheels.
By the way, traces of damage on the wheels of Curiosity became noticeable back in 2013. Therefore, NASA specialists have to carefully plan any route in order to maximize the life of the active operation of the robot.
The presented high-resolution panorama allows you to examine in great detail the bewitching Martian expanses. The image captures a landscape that has been formed over millions of years. Panorama in original size 29163 × 6702 pixels can be viewed here.
We add that the Curiosity rover was sent to the Red Planet in November 2011 and arrived at its destination in August 2012. In the fall of 2014, the device reached one of the main goals of its mission - the aforementioned Mount Aeolis. During its stay on the Red Planet, the rover collected and transmitted to Earth a large number of important scientific data.
An impact crater about three kilometers across
The surface of Mars is a dry and barren wasteland covered with old volcanoes and craters.
Dunes through the eyes of Mars Odyssey
Photographs show that she may be hidden by a single sandstorm that keeps her out of sight for several days. Despite formidable conditions, Mars is better studied by scientists than any other world. solar system besides our own, of course.
Since the planet has almost the same slope as the Earth, and it has an atmosphere, it means that there are seasons. The temperature on the surface is about -40 degrees Celsius, but at the equator it can reach +20. There are traces of water on the surface of the planet, and features of the relief formed by water.
Landscape
Let's take a closer look at the surface of Mars, information provided by numerous orbiters, as well as rovers, allows us to fully understand what the red planet is like. Ultra-clear images show dry, rocky terrain covered in fine red dust.
Red dust is actually iron oxide. Everything, from the ground to small stones and rocks, is covered with this dust.
Since there is neither water nor confirmed tectonic activity on Mars, its geological features remain virtually unchanged. Compared to the surface of the Earth, which is undergoing constant changes associated with water erosion and tectonic activity.
Mars surface video
The landscape of Mars is made up of a variety of geological structures. It is home to those known throughout the solar system. That's not all. The most famous canyon in the solar system is the Mariner Valley, also located on the surface of the Red Planet.
Look at the pictures from the rovers, which show a lot of details that are not visible from orbit.
If you have a desire to look at Mars online, then
Surface photo
The images below are images from Curiosity, a rover that is currently actively exploring the red planet.
To view in full screen mode, click on the button on the top right.
Panorama transmitted by the Curiosity rover
This panorama is a section of Gale Crater, where Curiosity conducts its research. The high hill in the center is Mount Sharp, to the right of it you can see the annular rim of the crater in the haze.
To view in full size, save the image to your computer!
These photographs of the surface of Mars are from 2014 and are, in fact, the most recent.
Among all the features of the landscape of Mars, perhaps the most widely publicized are the mesas of Cydonia. Early photographs of the Sedonia region showed the hill as a "human face". However, later, higher resolution shots showed us an ordinary hill.
Planet dimensions
Mars is pretty small world. Its radius is half that of the Earth, it has a mass that is less than one-tenth of ours.
Dunes, MRO image
More about Mars: The surface of the planet consists mainly of basalt, covered with a thin layer of dust, iron oxide, which has the consistency of talc. Iron oxide (rust, as it is commonly called) gives the planet its characteristic red hue.
Volcanoes
In ancient times, volcanoes erupted continuously on the planet for millions of years. Due to the fact that Mars does not have plate tectonics, huge volcanic mountains formed. Mount Olympus was formed in a similar way and is the largest mountain in the solar system. It is three times higher than Everest. Such volcanic activity may also partially explain the deepest valley in the solar system. The Mariner Valley is believed to have formed as a result of the breakup of material between two points on the Martian surface.
craters
Animation showing changes around a crater in the Northern Hemisphere
There are many impact craters on Mars. Most of these craters remain intact because there are no forces on the planet capable of destroying them. The planet lacks the wind, rain and plate tectonics that cause erosion on Earth. The atmosphere is much thinner than that of Earth, so that even small meteorites can reach the earth.
The current surface of Mars is very different from what it was billions of years ago. Orbiter data showed that there are many minerals and erosion marks on the planet that indicate the presence of liquid water in past. It is possible that small oceans and long rivers once completed the landscape. The last remnants of this water were trapped underground in the form of ice.
Total number of craters
There are hundreds of thousands of craters on Mars, of which 43,000 are larger than 5 kilometers in diameter. Hundreds of them were named after scientists or famous astronomers. Craters less than 60 km across have been named after cities on Earth.
The most famous is Hellas Basin. It is 2100 km across and up to 9 km deep. It is surrounded by emissions that stretch for 4000 km from the center.
Crater formation
Most of the craters on Mars probably appeared during the late period of the "heavy bombardment" of our solar system, which occurred approximately 4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago. During this period, a large number of craters formed on all celestial bodies in the solar system. Evidence for this event comes from studies of lunar samples, which showed that most of the rocks were created during this time interval. Scholars cannot agree on the reasons for this bombardment. According to the theory, the orbit of the gas giant changed and as a result, the orbits of objects in the main asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt became more eccentric, reaching the orbits of the terrestrial planets.
What do we know about Mars? For many people, this is simply the 4th planet of the solar system, the size of which is a tenth of the size of the Earth, this is the main planet on which scientists have high hopes in the search for life. But it's never too late to refresh your knowledge, especially now that, thanks to Curiosity and Opportunity, the panorama of Mars has become available to a wide audience.
What is a panorama?
Panorama is a view of the area from a certain point, most often from a hill. Thanks to the technologies available to mankind, today it has become possible to receive 360-degree images from Mars. The Curiosity and Opportunity rovers have been traveling around the Red Planet for a long time, they took about 224,000 frames, which NASA combined into a coherent panorama.
Looking at images from the surface of Mars, one gets the feeling virtual tour carried out by the rovers. The photographs themselves are taken with a special device - Panorama Camera. The period of photography of one area lasts on average from one week to a month. The panoramic camera applies three filters (at 753, 535 and 432 nanometers - optical wavelengths from red to blue) and blends the three images to form this view. The color combination method allows the viewer to see finer details and enhances color differences.
Panorama from Mars
To date, there are many panoramas of Mars. The Martian itself is of great interest to scientists in terms of studying the area. Thanks to panoramic images taken by the Curiosity rover in Gale Crater, NASA researchers were able to detect the outline of a lake on the Red Planet, the size of which was 50X5 kilometers. This served as the starting point for further research on the subject of life on Mars. An analysis of the residual rocks made it possible to establish that there was clay at the bottom of the lake, which formed exclusively in the aquatic environment.
Also interactive mosaic allows you to see the panorama of Mount Sharp, also known as the "Aeolis Mountain". The mentioned hill is located inside Gale Crater. It is assumed that sedimentary rocks began to accumulate in this part of the crater about 2.5 billion years ago. Presumably, these deposits at one time completely filled the crater.
Mount SharpAt the moment, the Curiosity rover is exploring the foot of the mountain and intends to climb higher and higher, answering questions from scientists about chemical composition breed and its changes.
Not less than interesting video was taken with the Panorama Camera from the Opportunity rover. Moving towards the depression, the rover simultaneously studied small residual rocks. On September 11, 2007, images of Duck Bay were sent to Earth, and two days later the camera captured Cape Verde, a rock on the outskirts of the crater.
Cape Verde - a rock on the edge of Victoria Crater In 2008, Opportunity moved away from the bay, leaving fascinating pictures of landscapes as a memento for mankind.
After that, the rover headed to the crater Endeavor - one of the oldest basins of the Red Planet. In 2011, the rover managed to reach its destination, and it was not possible to send images to Earth until April 2014.
The first thing that came to the attention of scientists was a protruding gypsum vein. After that, Opportunity began to explore the area. Analysis of sedimentary rocks revealed the presence of calcium, sulfur and water. According to scientists, the gypsum vein was formed from mineral-rich water oozing from the rock. The panorama of Endeavor is available in high resolution and will be of interest to those who are fond of the theme of Mars.
Outskirts of Endeavor CraterNew images of Mars include a panorama of the Vera Rubin Ridge. It is on the lower ridge of Mount Sharp. This place is valuable for studying because a large amount of iron oxide is concentrated here, which is formed in a damp environment.
The ridge itself has impressive dimensions: the height of a multi-storey building and a length of more than 6.5 kilometers. In the foreground of the panoramic image, the so-called Murray Formation is visible, representing a sedimentary petrified layer at the bottom of an ancient lake. On the right side of the panorama, a layer of clay is visible at a slight distance from Curiosity. Behind this layer there are hills of dark scarlet color, which are sulfates.
