MARSBUGS: The Electronic Astrobiology Newsletter Volume 7, Number 31, 21 August 2000. Editors: Dr. David J. Thomas, Math and Science Division, Lyon College, Batesville, AR 72503-2317, USA. dthomas@lyon.edu Dr. Julian A. Hiscox, School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AJ, United Kingdom. J.A.Hiscox@reading.ac.uk Marsbugs is published on a weekly to quarterly basis as warranted by the number of articles and announcements. Copyright of this compilation exists with the editors, except for specific articles, in which instance copyright exists with the author/authors. While we cannot copyright our mailing list, our readers would appreciate it if others would not send unsolicited e-mail using the Marsbugs mailing list. The editors do not condone “spamming” of our subscribers. Persons who have information that may be of interest to subscribers of Marsbugs should send that information to the editors. E-mail subscriptions are free, and may be obtained by contacting either of the editors. Article contributions are welcome, and should be submitted to either of the two editors. Contributions should include a short biographical statement about the author(s) along with the author(s)’ correspondence address. Subscribers are advised to make appropriate inquiries before joining societies, ordering goods etc. Back issues and Adobe Acrobat PDF files suitable for printing may be obtained from the official Marsbugs web page at http://welcome.to/marsbugs. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide a channel of information for scientists, educators and other persons interested in exobiology and related fields. This newsletter is not intended to replace peer- reviewed journals, but to supplement them. We, the editors, envision Marsbugs as a medium in which people can informally present ideas for investigation, questions about exobiology, and announcements of upcoming events. Astrobiology is still a relatively young field, and new ideas may come from the most unexpected places. Subjects may include, but are not limited to: exobiology and astrobiology (life on other planets), the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), ecopoeisis and terraformation, Earth from space, planetary biology, primordial evolution, space physiology, biological life support systems, and human habitation of space and other planets. --------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS 1) DRY FLOODS ON MARS By Rachel Nowak 2) CHEMICAL SIGNATURES IN ROCKS PROVIDE CLUES TO ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF OXYGEN AND TERRESTRIAL LIFE ON EARTH University of California, San Diego release 3) ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER BUNDLE OF EXTRASOLAR PLANETS By Maia Weinstock 4) SUMMER TRAVELER OR ASTRONAUT, MOTION SICKNESS IS A REAL PROBLEM, SAY MIT SPACE PROGRAM RESEARCHERS Massachusetts Institute of Technology release 5) MARS LAUNCH WOULD OFFER SAFETY OPTION FOR ASTRONAUTS By Emil Venere 6) SPY SATELLITE PHOTOS DOCUMENT DESERT PLANT INVASION Duke University release 7) UA ASTRONOMERS DEVELOP TOOLS TO DETECT EARTH-LIKE WORLDS FROM EARTH AND SPACE By Agnieszka Przychodzen 8) VIDEO GAMES MAY LEAD TO BETTER HEALTH THROUGH NEW NASA TECHNOLOGY NASA release 00-123 9) NASA PLANS TO SEND ROVER TWINS TO MARS IN 2003 NASA release 00-124 10) NASA RELEASES VIDEO MADE BY CORNELL UNDERGRADUATE DAN MAAS TO DRAMATIZE PLANS FOR TWO-ROVER SPACE MISSION IN 2003 Cornell University release 11) RESEARCHERS FIND EVIDENCE OF FOLDS ON EUROPA, PROVIDE CLUES ABOUT EVOLUTION OF JOVIAN MOON'S SURFACE Johns Hopkins University release 12) MARS ON EARTH: ARCTIC CRATER REVEALS MARTIAN SECRETS By Greg Clark 13) UNCERTAIN SPONSORSHIP FOR MARS-BOUND, LIFE-SEEKING MICROSCOPE By Leonard David 14) NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN DIRECTED PANSPERMIA. 1. MICROBES, PLANTS AND PLANETARY SOILS By Michael N. Mautner 15) WATER ON MARS: THE DEBATE RAGES ANEW By Leonard David 16) NEW ADDITIONS TO THE ASTROBIOLOGY, EXOBIOLOGY AND TERRAFORMATION INDEX By David J. Thomas 17) CASSINI WEEKLY SIGNIFICANT EVENTS JPL releases 18) THIS WEEK ON GALILEO JPL releases 19) ISS STATUS REPORTS JPL releases 20) MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR STATUS REPORTS JPL releases 21) NEW MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER VIEWS AVAILABLE By Ron Baalke 22) STARDUST STATUS REPORTS JPL releases --------------------------------------------------------------------- DRY FLOODS ON MARS By Rachel Nowak From New Scientist http://www.newscientist.com 2 August 2000 The giant canyons on Mars were carved not by water but by an icy equivalent of the rivers of ash that helped to destroy Pompeii, claims an Australian geologist. If he's right, this would mean that Mars has been cold and dry--and probably lifeless--for the past 3.5 billion years, far longer than most scientists believe. “Mars has always been a place of people's imaginations,” says Nick Hoffman of La Trobe University in Melbourne. “People want Mars to be an abode for Earth-like life forms.” Hoffman thinks “density flows”, similar to the so-called pyroclastic flows of gas, ash and rubble that sometimes come from erupting volcanoes on Earth, eroded the surface of Mars. Such flows can travel at tremendous speeds and cover vast distances (New Scientist, 17 July 1999, p 36). According to Hoffman, the collapse of unstable martian terrain, such as steep-sided craters, released liquid carbon dioxide that had been locked away underground. The rapid pressure drop vaporized some of this liquid--just like releasing the valve on a CO2 fire extinguisher--forming clouds of gas and supercooled dry ice, as well as water ice, dust and rubble. These clouds swept downhill, carving immense channels without water. “It's intriguing and fascinating, but I'm very sceptical,” says planetary scientist Jay Melosh of the University of Arizona in Tucson, though he adds that the idea is worth testing in the lab. One problem, says Melosh, is that as gas bubbled off, the flows would run out of steam and be unable to carve channels as long as those on Mars. But Hoffman disagrees. As the “cryoclastic” flow sped along, the supercooled CO2 particles would continue to vaporize, fuelling the process, he says. Aaron Zent at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, raises another concern. The channels on Mars end in wide flat expanses, with traces of a shoreline--just as if water had flooded a plain. “It's the flattest place in the Universe,” says Zent. “You would have had to have done that with water.” Hoffman counters that density currents can create the same features. “On Earth, large density flows create characteristic wide, flat plains, just like the northern plains on Mars,” he says. What's more, says Hoffman, cryoclastic flows provide a simpler explanation for the giant channels on Mars's surface than water. “You'd need sufficient water to create walls 200 kilometers wide and at least 300 meters deep, and there isn't enough space below the surface of Mars to put it all. But 1 liter of liquid CO2 gives you 250 liters of gaseous CO2 to support a flow.” From New Scientist issue of 5 August 2000. UK Contact: Claire Bowles, New Scientist Press Office, London claire.bowles@rbi.co.uk 44-20-7331-2751 US Contact: New Scientist Washington office newscidc@idt.net 202-452-1178 Additional articles on this subject are available at: http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-water-science-00i1.html http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/08/04/white.mars/index.html http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/mars.html. --------------------------------------------------------------------- CHEMICAL SIGNATURES IN ROCKS PROVIDE CLUES TO ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF OXYGEN AND TERRESTRIAL LIFE ON EARTH University of California, San Diego release http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/science/mcoxygen.htm 3 August 2000 Scientists analyzing some of the oldest-known rocks on Earth have discovered for the first time a way to recover from the geological record details about the evolution of oxygen and ozone in the planet's early atmosphere-two key ingredients that permitted and recorded the expansion of terrestrial life. In the August 4 issue of Science, chemists from the University of California, San Diego report that their analysis of Precambrian sedimentary rocks as old as 3.8 billion years reveal a “profound change” in the chemical reactions involving sulfur and oxygen in the atmosphere that begins before 2.1 billion and extends to 2.5 billion years ago, a period during which the oxygen levels in the atmosphere are known to have increased sharply. “What we found is a geochemical indicator that originated in the atmosphere and it's clearly a global signature,” says James Farquhar, a postdoctoral fellow at UCSD and the first author of the paper. “It appears in samples that are older than 2 billion years, but is most pronounced in samples older than 2.5 billion years.” “This is the first time that anyone has been able to see a record of oxygen from the ancient atmosphere,” says Mark Thiemens, a professor of chemistry and Dean of UCSD's Physical Sciences Division, who led the study, which included UCSD postdoctoral fellow Huiming Bao. “We now know it's possible to track the evolution on Earth of oxygen and ozone, which both coincide with the evolution of life and the build up of the conditions on the planet that led to a major shift in the atmosphere 2.2 billion years ago.” Geologists know from banded iron formations in 2.2 billion-year-old rocks that significant quantities of oxygen were present at the time- enough, at least, to oxidize the iron in the rocks in a process akin to rusting. Some of that oxygen was presumably generated by photosynthetic cyanobacteria, which were known to exist 3.5 billion years ago, and some came from the chemical separation of water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. But until now scientists had no way to probe what proportion each process may have contributed to this sharp rise in oxygen and to the development of the Earth's ozone layer, which permitted the expansion of terrestrial life by shielding organisms from the most damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. “The banded iron formations tell you that the Earth had to have significant quantities of oxygen then,” says Thiemens. “But you don't know how much or where it came from. Because the fossil record is so spotty, the period from the earliest-known rocks, at 3.9 billion years ago, to 2.2 billion years ago is a black hole of knowledge about the atmosphere and about life. This method provides a way to track the record of oxygen in the atmosphere and, more importantly, of ozone in the earliest rocks.” The technique the UCSD scientists developed to track oxygen in the ancient atmosphere involves discerning a recognizable signature in rocks that originated from chemical processes in the atmosphere-in this case, from the oxidation of sulfur-bearing gases. From variations in the four most common isotopes, or forms, of sulfur that were incorporated into sulfide and sulfate minerals in the rocks, the scientists were able to infer that the atmosphere 2.45 billion years ago had limited free oxygen and was the main arena for chemical reactions involving sulfur. That's contrasted to the present-day environment in which the atmosphere has significantly more free oxygen and in which chemical reactions involving sulfur are dominated by terrestrial processes-specifically continental oxidative weathering and the reduction of sulfates by microbes. Scientists had assumed for decades that the isotopic variations used by the UCSD researchers to infer processes in the ancient atmosphere could only be found in meteorites and other extraterrestrial sources and were a unique byproduct of nucleosynthesis in stars. But in a recent paper, published in the July 13 issue of Nature, the scientists demonstrated that their presence in 20 million-year-old volcanic-ash deposits and 10 million-year-old gypsum deposits reflected chemical processes in the Earth's atmosphere. The UCSD team's latest discovery pushes that window into the ancient atmosphere back to a critical period in the planet's history-when oxygen and ozone were accumulating in the atmosphere and the first terrestrial forms of life were expanding. “It's a new discovery,” says Robert N. Clayton, a professor of chemistry and geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago. “No one has seen anything like that before. It's another handle on ancient atmospheric chemistry. It's surely going to be important.” Besides improving knowledge about the ancient atmosphere, the UCSD finding has implications for improving the understanding of long-term atmospheric events in the future, such as global warming. “One always hears the argument, 'Isn't global warming all part of a natural cycle?'“ says Thiemens. “To answer that question, you really want to have a large-scale record. This will give it to us. We really need to understand the past in order to understand the present and the future.” The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation financed the study. Caption for Images: Chemical signatures in ancient rocks hold the key to the evolution of oxygen and ozone in the Earth's early atmosphere. Credit: NASA Caption for Graphic: Variations in sulfur isotopes in the rocks allowed UCSD scientists to infer that the atmosphere 2.45 billion years ago had limited free oxygen and was the main arena for chemical reactions involving sulfur. Credit: James Farquhar, UCSD. Contacts: Mark Thiemens (858) 534-6882 James Farquhar (858) 534-6053 --------------------------------------------------------------------- ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER BUNDLE OF EXTRASOLAR PLANETS By Maia Weinstock From Space.com 7 August 2000 Astronomers from around the globe have announced the detection of at least nine possible extrasolar objects, presumed to be gas-giant planets orbiting nearby stars. If confirmed, the finds could bring the total number of planets detected beyond our solar system to 50. Included in the collection of newly discovered objects is the smallest extrasolar planet yet detected--a gas giant roughly half the size of Saturn. In addition, astronomers have brought to light new evidence that several nearby stars may actually have multiple-planet systems. These and other extrasolar planet findings were discussed today at the International Astronomical Union assembly in Manchester, England. Get the full story at http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/new_planets_000804.ht ml. --------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMER TRAVELER OR ASTRONAUT, MOTION SICKNESS IS A REAL PROBLEM, SAY MIT SPACE PROGRAM RESEARCHERS Massachusetts Institute of Technology release 4 August 2000 Take comfort, summer travelers. Motion sickness is not in your head; it's in your brain, say Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers who study “space sickness” in astronauts. The good news is that besides popping pills, there are simple steps you can take to alleviate the symptoms as well as make yourself less susceptible over time. In addition to helping people with car, sea and plane sickness, researchers Laurence R. Young and Charles M. Oman point out that addressing this problem is becoming a priority as space tourism moves closer to reality. Young, Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics at MIT, is an internationally recognized researcher on the human aspects of space travel and director of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI). Oman leads the NSBRI neurovestibular program and is director of the Man-Vehicle Laboratory (MVL) at MIT. He is an expert on human inner-ear function, the sensory-motor conflict theory for motion sickness and has written several practical articles on seasickness prevention. Conflicting information to the brain The past 25 years of the space program has uncovered more than has ever been known about the physical basis for motion sickness. The MVL does research on the visual and vestibular systems, visual- vestibular interaction, flight simulation, space motion sickness and manual controls and displays. The laboratory's work on how the balance mechanism in the inner ear is linked to space sickness led to models that are used to help humans adapt to space travel and to in- flight simulator motion control. Young and Oman, both seasoned offshore sailors, have helped dispel the fallacy that motion sickness is predominantly psychological. Motion sickness, they say, results from conflicting information reaching the brain from your eyes and your inner ear, and from different parts of the inner ear itself. They point out that motion sickness has affected virtually every astronaut and that virtually everybody with normal inner-ear balance function can be made motion sick. A trip to Mars Understanding and remedying motion sickness becomes particularly relevant when planning a manned space flight to Mars. To counter problems with bones, muscles, the cardiovascular system and the manufacture of red blood cells that result from extended time in a zero-gravity environment, scientists have proposed ways of creating artificial gravity during the flight. One method, popularized in the movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey, involves using a huge centrifuge to create artificial gravity. Young, who was principal investigator in experiments on four space shuttle missions and an alternate NASA payload specialist for the 1993 Space Life Sciences 2 Mission, supports smaller, more practical versions of this rotating environment, but they have the drawback of making users motion sick. His research addresses ways to minimize discomfort. The good news is that most people seem to get less sick over time as they get used to the unusual movement. Fighter pilots, for instance, are virtually free of motion sickness when they are in the midst of a training session, but after a break of a few weeks, they are more likely to experience motion sickness as their vestibular balance system returns to normal. Tips for the motion sick * Recognize the symptoms of oncoming motion sickness, which range from yawning and drowsiness to increased salivation, cold sweats, headaches and nausea, before they get out of control. The worse motion sickness is allowed to get, the faster symptoms develop. * Take anti-motion sickness medication, such as over-the-counter Dramamine and Bonine or see your doctor for advice on stronger prescription drugs. Be sure to take them at least an hour ahead of time. * If you are on a boat, go on deck to eliminate visual conflict. Being belowdeck will make you feel ill more quickly. Try a method called wave riding, in which you sit upright and let your trunk and neck muscles keep your head and upper body balanced over your hips as the boat moves. * If all else fails, try to wedge yourself into a secure place and go to sleep. Your susceptibility is reduced when you are asleep. * Acupressure wristbands remain controversial. They help some people, although the MIT researchers see such devices as placebos. “Remember that even placebos can help some, if you believe they work,” Young says. * If you have had several bad experiences while sailing and are so susceptible that you feel queasy merely at the sight of a boat, it may be that your problem isn't motion sickness but anticipatory nausea. Counter-conditioning yourself by spending time aboard at the dock and going out on calm days may help. * Take heart from the fact that Young's and Oman's research indicates that astronauts and regular folks become accustomed to unnatural or nauseating movements over time, with or without medication. Contact: Deborah Halber MIT News Office (617) 258-9276 dhalber@mit.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------- MARS LAUNCH WOULD OFFER SAFETY OPTION FOR ASTRONAUTS By Emil Venere Purdue University release http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/0009.Longuski.Mars.html 8 August 2000 The best opportunity in the near future to launch the first human mission to Mars will come in 2014 because an alignment of planetary bodies that year provides an ideal escape route back to Earth, in case of an Apollo 13 type of accident. So concludes a research paper written by a Purdue University engineer and one of his students. Owing to the timely orbital alignments of Earth, Mars and Venus, slingshot maneuvers requiring only minor course adjustments would be possible, bringing the spacecraft home safely. But the emergency flight path would be possible only if the spacecraft were launched within a few days of January 14, 2014. No similar escape option exists for at least a decade before or after that time frame, meaning astronauts might be forced to attempt a landing on the red planet even if their spacecraft became crippled in an accident on the way to Mars, says James Longuski, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue. “This trajectory is remarkably fortuitous as it does not exist for many years prior to or after the 2014 date,” Longuski says in the paper, which will be presented August 15 during the Astrodynamics Specialist Conference and Exhibit,in Denver. The conference is co- sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the American Astronomical Society. Coincidentally, NASA had identified 2014 as a possible launch date for the first human mission to Mars in a 1997 study. That study, Human Exploration of Mars can be accessed online. Longuski and graduate student Masataka Okutsu discovered that the safest route to take would be one that permitted a quick return trip, via Venus, in case of an accident that forced the Mars landing to be aborted. The martian gravity would bend the spacecraft's trajectory, hurtling it toward Venus, where another gravity assist would guide the ship to Earth. Because of the gravity-assisted trajectories, the spacecraft could make the return trip with only minor attitude adjustments from small thrusters, even if its main engine were disabled, Longuski says. Apollo 13, launched in 1970, was to be the third mission to land on the Moon. An explosion in one of the oxygen tanks crippled the spacecraft during flight, raising fears that the crew might be lost. But it was brought home safely, in part by using the moon's gravity to slingshot the craft and crew back toward Earth. Longuski and Okutsu discovered the Mars option using a software program, originally developed by engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory but then improved by the Purdue engineer and his students, who made it hundreds of times more powerful. “My contribution, along with my students, was to automate the software and make it the potent tool that it is,” Longuski says. “Without that automation, it has one-thousandth the power.” The software program, which is called STOUR (pronounced Ess Tour), automatically identifies the myriad possible routes that a spacecraft might travel, considering its launch date, rocket power and ultimate destination, and then displays the flight paths on a graph. It enables engineers to calculate complex spacecraft trajectories within hours or days, instead of the months or even years it would take with conventional methods. “If you are going to Mars, Venus and back to the Earth, you can look at a launch window 20 years wide and compute every possible gravity- assist trajectory that exists,” Longuski says. The conventional method requires engineers to compute each possible trajectory one at a time. “It's like people doing accounting by hand and then suddenly having computers to do it,” he says. A faster technique for mapping the trajectories is needed because space missions often require a series of several gravity assists from planetary bodies, precisely strung together in just the right way so that the spacecraft arrives properly at its final destination. Engineers highly skilled in celestial mechanics may take months or years to plan the complex “tours,” only to see their methodical calculations discarded because of launch delays that require entirely new tours to be calculated, possibly with little time to spare, Longuski says. Contacts: James Longuski, (765) 494-5139, longuski@ecn.purdue.edu Emil Venere, (765) 494-4709, evenere@uns.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096, purduenews@uns.purdue.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------- SPY SATELLITE PHOTOS DOCUMENT DESERT PLANT INVASION Duke University release 8 August 2000 Declassified spy satellite images, combined with aerial photos, document an invasion of honey mesquite bushes into a former arid grassland that is now part of a long-term scientific study of the processes of desertification in southern New Mexico. An interpretation of the 2-meter resolution overviews of desert terrain will be presented in a Thursday, August 10 session of the Ecological Society of America's annual meeting in Snowbird, Utah. By comparing 1937 and 1996 aerial photographs with military reconnaissance images made in the intervening years of 1966, 1976 and 1983, scientists with the Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research Program near Las Cruces, NM, were able to document “an increase in both shrub numbers and area,” according to the scientists. “Honey mesquite now dominates large areas of former desert grassland throughout the Southwest,” their presentation says. “Despite its importance, not much is known about the dynamics of individual shrubs over long periods and large areas.” But covert overhead surveillance can help. Initial results “show that remote sensing imagery is an appropriate tool for examining shrub invasion in desert grasslands,” according to the poster, which was prepared by five researchers in the National Science Foundation- funded desertification study--Sarah Goslee, Kris Havstad, William Schlesinger, Debra Peters and Al Rango. Goslee, of New Mexico State University, electronically processed the images in a way that highlights the increase in mesquite numbers. Schlesinger, a Duke University biology professor and a principal investigator of the Jornada project, helped get the satellite images declassified. “The number of mesquite at the Jornada has increased continuously, not just during the drought of the 1950s,” Schlesinger said in an interview. “And most of the shrubs arriving early on have held their ground to the present day.” Schlesinger is among a special group of scientists, called the Medea Committee, who have received security clearance to review spy satellite images that might be of benefit to research if declassified. The idea of declassifying images for science was originally championed by Vice President Al Gore when he was in the U.S. Senate. In a 1996 article in the journal Global Change Biology, Schlesinger and a MITRE Corporation researcher also described how they used intelligence satellite images and aerial photography to show that several decades of drought in the Sudan had no impact on tree abundance there. Contact: Monte Basgall 919-681-8057 monte.basgall@duke.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------- UA ASTRONOMERS DEVELOP TOOLS TO DETECT EARTH-LIKE WORLDS FROM EARTH AND SPACE By Agnieszka Przychodzen University of Arizona release 10 August 2000 Astronomers now believe they have discovered 50 planets outside our solar system. But none of them resembles the Earth. The uncovered alien worlds do not have rocky surfaces or breathable atmospheres. They are similar to Jupiter, which makes them inhospitable to life. Taking pictures of exoplanets from the ground is difficult, verging on impossible. Still, astronomers hope to see from the ground a few really giant planets located at moderate distances from their sun. “From space it looks quite possible but we haven't built the devices to do it yet,” says Neville J. Woolf, professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory in Tucson. Woolf and his team have been investigating various ways to observe extra-solar planets from Earth and space for the past 14 years, looking to the day when Earth-like planets around other stars are finally discovered. The search for Earth-like planets is restricted to only a fraction of the Milky Way with current technology. Astronomers are able to look in detail only at the sun's closest neighbors. “Suppose we send out an instrument to look for Earth-like planets and we give it 70 years of observing time. It will take it about a day to observe a particular star system to find whether it has an Earth- like planet. At this rate we might survey perhaps 25,000 stars, a tiny bit of the Milky Way Galaxy, which contains about 10 billion stars. After 70 years, only 2.5 millionth of a percent of our galaxy would have been examined--and the Milky Way is only one of about 100 billion galaxies,” says Woolf. There could be 'billions and billions and billions' of Earth-like planets out there, and we would have missed them all. Our only hope is that Earths are extremely common. If so, then looking at the planets around the nearest stars, we will find some.” In the past, astronomers assumed that planets similar in size to Earth were extremely common and Jupiter-like objects were rare. But starting in 1995, discoveries revealed planetary systems very different from the solar system, with giant planets in close-in orbits unlike any body in the solar system. Astronomers began to wonder how rare planetary systems like ours were. The giant planets in orbits larger than Mercury's had very eccentric orbits so that the Earth-like planets of those systems would have been ejected early on. Woolf however notes that of the four planets with largest orbits (still less than half the size of Jupiter's orbit) two have modest eccentricity. This may be a sign that systems with giant planets in longer period orbits are more like the solar system. Woolf considers the search for other Earths worthwhile though. “I believe that they are quite common. Every third or fourth star that we look at could have such a planet, and if so, there is a decent chance that we will find signs of life after a reasonable effort.” He adds, “Current planet discoveries are like the tip of an iceberg. For every one of those planets that we have discovered so far there are likely to be perhaps a dozen lower-mass objects. We have not yet found them because we do not yet have instruments that are sensitive enough.” Woolf and Roger Angel, UA Regents' Professor of astronomy and director of the UA Mirror Laboratory, are involved in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's “Terrestrial Planet Finder” (TPF) project, a space observatory that NASA plans to launch in 2012 as part of Origins Program. According to Woolf and Angel, most can be learned about the planets by observing in the middle infrared part of the spectrum, the radiation emitted by any object at approximately room temperature. Planets are easier to detect in the infrared because stars are not nearly as bright as they are in visible light. “We are still finding that the easiest method to see the planets involves the process of 'nulling',” Woolf says. He and his collaborators have been testing this innovative technique for about 5 years. “The star is usually about 10 million times brighter than its planet. But we can cause the light waves from the star to interfere with themselves, making the star nearly invisible while radiation from the planet comes through. It is possible either to make direct images of a planetary system with this technique or to reconstruct an image by mathematical data processing, Woolf says. Another imaging technique appropriate for shorter wavelengths is called coronography. This technique requires that the telescope mirror surfaces be extraordinarily smooth to reduce the scattered starlight. Second, the bright rings around a star image must be made fainter by a process called apodization. Third, an Earth-like planet is itself so faint that a very large telescope is needed to analyze its spectrum. “As a result, telescope systems necessary to observe the visible (wavelengths) from planets are not much different in size from nulling telescopes, and we learn less fundamental information about a planet from its visible spectrum. Studying the planet's infrared glow will allow us to measure its size and how warm it is as well as test the planet's atmosphere for the presence of oxygen in the form of ozone and water,” he says. Woolf and his collaborators have already begun the first explorations in the infrared with the Multi-Mirror Telescope situated on Mt. Hopkins, (before the telescope was converted to a 6.5-meter telescope). In 2004 they will start using the twin-8.4-meter- mirrored Large Binocular Telescope being built on Mount Graham. Both observatories are located near Tucson, AZ. These instruments will be able to image the dust around stars as well as Jupiter-like planets but will require the use of 'adaptive optics' technique to correct for blurring effects of the Earth's atmosphere. “There is a good chance to find Earth-like planets and even find life on these planets if it's there. The main reason for thinking that life is not difficult to get started on an Earth-like planet is, that on Earth life began so soon after the period of catastrophic collisions 4 billion years ago. It is hard to imagine that there was any really difficult process on the way. I think that there is continuity from chemicals cyclically combining and breaking up in volcanically warmed places of early Earth, to the formation of self- replicating chemicals, to the development of life and ourselves,” Woolf says. Contacts: Neville J. Woolf, 520-621-3234, nwoolf@as.arizona.edu Roger Angel, 520-621-6541, rangel@as.arizona.edu Jonathan I. Lunine, 520-621-2789, jlunine@lpl.arizona.edu An additional article on this subject is available at http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0008/10look4earth/. --------------------------------------------------------------------- VIDEO GAMES MAY LEAD TO BETTER HEALTH THROUGH NEW NASA TECHNOLOGY NASA release 00-123 10 August 2000 For decades doctors have used biofeedback as a way to help control stress and tension. Now NASA technology adds a new twist by combining this mind-over-matter technique with the hand-eye coordination of video games. According to researchers at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA, the results may actually improve and protect a player's mental and physical health. This unique interactive system, tested at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, trains people to change their brainwave activity or other physiological functions while playing popular off-the-shelf video games. This is accomplished by making the video game respond to the activity of the player's body and brain. “Thirty years of biofeedback research has shown that by training specific brainwave changes, or reductions in other abnormal physiological signals, people can achieve a wide variety of health- enhancing outcomes,” said Dr. Olafur Palsson, assistant professor of psychiatry and family medicine at EVMS. “With this new technology, we have found a way to package this training in an enjoyable and inherently motivating activity.” Signals from sensors attached to the player's head and body are fed through a signal-processing unit to a video game joystick or other control device. As the player's brainwaves come closer to an optimal, stress-free pattern, the video game's joystick becomes easier to control. This encourages the player to produce these patterns or signals to succeed at the game. In this way, recreational video games have the potential to help both children and adults with a variety of health problems--from concentration difficulties to physical stress. Unlike earlier biofeedback methods, which tended to be monotonous and simplistic, this technology adapts to today's most popular games, giving players a healthful side effect, while fully preserving the high-tech entertainment value. “This technology is a spin-off of NASA research where we measure the brain activity of pilots in flight simulators, “ added co-inventor Alan Pope, Ph.D., of Langley's Crew/Vehicle Integration Branch. “Flight simulators are essentially very sophisticated video games.” Pope is an adjunct research assistant professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at EVMS. In addition, in what could be called a “spin-back” application, NASA is studying ways to use the technology for pilot training. Early results from a video game biofeedback study suggest that the technology is effective. In this first test, to be completed this fall, the technology is being applied as a treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD, between the ages of 9 and 14, either play popular video games or receive more traditional brainwave biofeedback treatment. Both forms of treatment help the children's symptoms, but the video game treatment seems to have distinct advantages. “The main difference we see between the groups so far is in motivation--the children in the video game group enjoy the sessions more and it is easier for the parents to get them to come to our clinic,” said Dr. Palsson, principal investigator in the study and co-inventor of the technology. “This technology could be in homes all over the country within the next two or three years,” according to David Shannon of Langley's commercialization office. “Several companies have applied for a license to produce training systems for the general public.” Still images are available from Keith Henry at h.k.henry@larc.nasa.gov and video from Kim Land at k.w.land@larc.nasa.gov or 757/864-9885. Contacts: Michael Braukus Headquarters, Washington, DC 202-358-1979 Keith Henry Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 757-864-6120/4 Stanley Baron Lantis Laser, Inc., Hewitt, NJ 203-373-0387 --------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA PLANS TO SEND ROVER TWINS TO MARS IN 2003 NASA release 00-124 10 August 2000 The traffic on Mars is expected to double in the near future. NASA today announced plans to launch two large scientific rovers to the red planet in 2003, rather than the original plan for just one, said Dr. Ed Weiler, Associate Administrator for Space Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. Both Mars rovers currently are planned for launch on Delta II rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. The first mission is targeted for May 22, with the second launch slated for June 4. After a seven-and-a-half month cruise, the first rover should enter Mars' atmosphere January 2, 2004, with the second rover bouncing to a stop on the martian surface January 20. The rovers will be exact duplicates, but that's where the similarities end. Relatives of the highly successful 1997 Sojourner rover, these 300-pound mobile laboratories may look and act alike, but they're going to decidedly different locations. “For the first time, science and technology have given us the capability to explore alien planets in ways that used to exist only in science fiction movies,” said Dr. Weiler. “To have two rovers driving over dramatically different regions of Mars at the same time, to be able to drive over and see what's on the other side of the hill--it's an incredibly exciting idea.” Dr. Weiler added, “I think everyone on Earth who has ever dreamed of being an explorer on an alien planet will want to go along for the ride as we explore the surface of Mars.” Scott Hubbard, Mars Program Director at NASA Headquarters said, “For the past few weeks NASA has been undertaking an extensive study of a two-lander option. Hubbard added, “The scientific appeal of using the excellent launch opportunity in 2003 for two missions was weighed carefully against the resource requirements and schedule constraints.” “Our teams concluded that we can successfully develop and launch these identical packages to the red planet,” continued Hubbard. “We also determined that, in addition to the prospect of doubling our scientific return, this two-pronged approach adds resiliency and robustness to our exploration program.” “Mars is a beguiling place, and conducting a real mobile field- geology mission is always better when there are multiple perspectives,” said Dr. Jim Garvin, Mars Program Scientist at NASA Headquarters. However, the landing sites have yet to be selected. “We are thinking about localities where there is evidence of surface processes involving what we might call 'past' water on Mars,” Dr. Garvin continued. “This includes sites where we have today mineralogical evidence that water may have produced unique chemical fingerprints, as well as places where it seems likely water 'ponded' in closed depressions for enough time to modify the regional geology,” added Dr. Garvin. During the next two to three years, engineers and scientists will conduct an intensive search for potential touchdown sites. Using the flood of data still coming in from Mars Global Surveyor, and that expected starting in 2002 from the Mars 2001 Orbiter, scientists will search for compelling landing zones with the fewest hazards and select the best candidates. “The goal of both rovers will be to learn about ancient water and climate on Mars,” said Professor Steven Squyres, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, and Principal Investigator for the rovers' Athena science package. “You can think of each rover as a robotic field geologist, equipped to read the geologic record at its landing site and to learn what the conditions were like back when the rocks and soils there were formed.” Given the high priority NASA and the Administration assign to the Space Science program overall, and to the timely exploration of Mars, the Agency proposes that Space Science cover any additional costs of the first rover mission, and that the bulk of the cost for the second lander be reallocated from programs outside Space Science. The Mars 2003 Rover project will be managed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, CA, for the Office of Space Science. Firouz Naderi is the Mars Program Manager at JPL, which is a division of Caltech. Fact sheets for the Mars 2003 rover and the Mars 2001 Orbiter missions are available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/facts/mars03rover.pdf and www.jpl.nasa.gov/facts/mars2001.pdf. Contact: Donald Savage Headquarters, Washington, DC 202-358-1547 Additional articles on this subject are available at: http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0008/10marsrovers/ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast10aug_1.htm?list. --------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA RELEASES VIDEO MADE BY CORNELL UNDERGRADUATE DAN MAAS TO DRAMATIZE PLANS FOR TWO-ROVER SPACE MISSION IN 2003 Cornell University release 10 August 2000 When NASA today announced its intention to send two rover exploration vehicles to Mars on its previously announced 2003 space shot, it introduced the ambitious venture with a two-minute, computer- generated video that dramatizes the mission with startling clarity and accuracy. The video is the work of Dan Maas, a 19-year-old undergraduate at Cornell University enrolled in the university's College Scholar program for independent, interdisciplinary study. Maas has been perfecting his artistic and technical ability to depict the drama of Mars landing missions for the past two years working with Steven Squyres, Cornell professor of astronomy. Squyres, who will be the principal investigator on the Athena science cargoes to be carried by the new, long-range rovers, calls Dan's work “sensational.” When, earlier this summer, space agency officials saw a previous Mars-landing video made by Maas, they requested that he make a video to herald the 2003 mission. Squyres found Maas working at a summer job at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies, a new graphics research lab in Los Angeles, and asked him to return to Ithaca. Back home, the student produced the NASA video in just three days. “Thankfully I was able to re-use certain elements, such as the martian landscape, from an earlier video. That saved a great deal of time and effort,” says Maas. “It was quite a stretch, though, to accomplish all of that rendering before the NASA deadline--I had all of our home computers and two laptops churning out the frames around the clock.” The movie opens in true Hollywood style, with the rover's antenna slowly appearing over a martian ridge. The vehicle then descends a slope and after maneuvering its way around boulders approaches the edge of a crater, where its microscopic imager takes a fine-scale picture of the soil. Then it heads away into the distance as Maas's “camera” swings up toward the sky--and a second space capsule. The capsule makes a fiery descent, then a parachute is deployed and airbags inflate to cushion the landing, which is made “bouncing ball”- style, first used in the successful 1997 Pathfinder mission. Then the second rover emerges and begins exploring an ancient lakebed. Maas, who entered Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences at the age of 16, has been producing digital animations since he was 10, although his interest in film goes even farther back. His father, James, the noted Cornell professor of psychology, recalls giving him a home-built toy film-editing machine for his third birthday. At the age of 16, Dan Maas started his own company, Digital Cinema, to provide animations for television commercials, and at the age of 17, he went to Los Angeles to intern at one of the leading digital animation studios. In the meantime, he has been studying theater arts at Cornell and taking courses in math and physics. Somehow Maas also found time to work and study in Cornell's astronomy department, which is where he met Squyres, who as a seasoned mission scientist had not been impressed by previous videos that had attempted to depict space missions. “They were dry as dust,” he says. But when Squyres discovered Maas's abilities to create such computer-generated scenes as a helicopter being struck by a missile or a prison guard tower blowing up, he signed on the then-freshman student. “The job interview consisted of two words: 'You're hired,'” he recalls. Maas begins each video by hand sketching a storyboard, with each panel depicting a specific scene from the Mars mission, which he transfers to the computer with a wash of color. Then, using a program called Lightwave, he begins creating the images in three- dimensional detail. Later, using another program, Digital Fusion, he creates special effects, such as graininess to simulate the look of film, and lens flare--the bright flash caused by the sun. Almost none of Maas's scenes contain actual photographic images. Instead he uses a wealth of material--conversations with Squyres and engineers, blueprints, images from NASA web sites--to create his computer-generated space flight. He has even visited the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in Pasadena to talk to the engineers managing the rover mission. Take, for example, his depiction of the 2003 rover vehicle. First, Maas created digital geometric models of the chassis, wheels and sensors using blueprints provided by JPL as a guide. Maas then worked through each shot in the sequence, selecting camera angles and blocking out the rover's movements. Next, Squyres and Maas together refined the shots to combine scientific accuracy with cinematic excitement. The final step was rendering--or automatically computing--the nearly 3,000 individual frames of animation that make up the finished video, a process that took several hundred hours of non-stop calculation on seven computers. Of course, there's much more to it than that. There is, for example, the considerable artistry involved in turning a simple shape into a convincing image of a rover wheel. “Basically, I think my job title is digital artist,” says Maas. “It takes both technical skill and a strong grasp of traditional filmmaking techniques to make the most of my tools.” For Squyres, what impresses most is the Cornell student's “general cinematographer's sense” and “his fanatical attention to detail.” The end product, he says, is a piece of work you look at and you think is real. The Mars 2003 rover project will be managed at JPL for NASA's Office of Space Science. The following sites provide additional information on this news release. Some might not be part of the Cornell University community, and Cornell has no control over their content or availability. Maas's video can be viewed at Digital Cinema at http://dcine.dyndns.org/NASA/2003/Rover_2003_(Long).mpg High-resolution stills from the video are available from NASA at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/pictures/solar/2003rover/ Contact: David Brand (607) 255-3651 deb27@cornell.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------- RESEARCHERS FIND EVIDENCE OF FOLDS ON EUROPA, PROVIDE CLUES ABOUT EVOLUTION OF JOVIAN MOON'S SURFACE Johns Hopkins University release 10 August 2000 Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and Brown University may have solved a 20-year-old geological mystery surrounding Jupiter's icy moon Europa. In the August 11 issue of Science, Louise Prockter of APL and Robert Pappalardo of Brown report evidence of “folds” on the moon's frozen surface. The researchers say the mountain-like features--found in three regions--are the first indication of compression on the fractured Europan crust, and provide unprecedented insight into the history and behavior of the Jovian satellite. “We learned from Voyager images in the late 1970s that there was a lot of extension on Europa - that the surface was pulling apart and a slushy material was moving up through the gaps, but no one could find out how this new material was being accommodated,” Prockter says. “Now, we have finally found folds where the icy surface material compresses, and this will help us start to understand how Europa evolved and how it resurfaces.” Prockter and Pappalardo first noticed the folds in high-resolution images of Europa's Astypalaea Linea fracture region, taken by the Galileo spacecraft. Near the large fracture zone they spotted fine- scale features that typically occur in fold structures (such as the Appalachian Mountains) on Earth--regional patterns of fractures and small ridges which mark adjacent crests and valleys. The folds' direction and location along Astypalaea Linea coincide with models of tidal stress, the gravitational pull from Jupiter that scientists believe creates the pattern of large, canyon-like cracks on Europa's rotating surface. The size and nature of the folds-- crests possibly tens to hundreds of meters high and spaced about 25 kilometers (16 miles) apart--also tell the researchers about the surface itself. They indicate warping of a thin brittle lithosphere covering a thicker region, or asthenosphere, of “warmer” and mobile glacier-like ice. The researchers spotted similar folds in two other regions, and believe they could exist in other areas. One reason the folds have been hard to find is the planet does a good job of hiding them; over time, the researchers hypothesize, the folds “relax away” and push some material back into Europa's interior for recycling. “There has been no solid evidence for compression folds or material cycling on any other icy satellite, though many show extensional features,” Pappalardo says. “This finding potentially has applications for other icy moons as well.” The Applied Physics Laboratory is a not-for-profit division of The Johns Hopkins University, conducting research and development primarily for national security and for non-defense projects of national and global significance. APL is located midway between Baltimore and Washington, DC, in Laurel, MD. For more information visit www.jhuapl.edu. Contact: JHU Applied Physics Laboratory Mike Buckley Laurel, MD 20723 240-228-7536 michael.buckley@jhuapl.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------- MARS ON EARTH: ARCTIC CRATER REVEALS MARTIAN SECRETS By Greg Clark From Space.com 11 August 2000 For six weeks this summer, a rough uninhabited island in the Arctic Circle became the focus of preparations for a human journey to Mars and a search for life there... ...more than 50 scientists, engineers and technologists across a wide range of disciplines gathered on Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic to develop technologies and test strategies that will be needed if humans one day decide to send astronauts to Mars. Get the full story at http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/devon_crater_000811 .html. --------------------------------------------------------------------- UNCERTAIN SPONSORSHIP FOR MARS-BOUND, LIFE-SEEKING MICROSCOPE By Leonard David From Space.com 17 August 2000 A Mars-exploration advocacy group has embarked on a campaign to raise funds to sponsor a life-seeking microscope aboard the next spacecraft set to land on the Red Planet, although lander officials say they have agreed to no such deal. Either way, the instrument is to be toted to Mars on the British-built Beagle 2 lander. If on schedule, it will be the first microscope placed on Mars, said Peter Smith, senior research scientist at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson. He is building the unit with colleagues at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. Get the full story at http://www.space.com/searchforlife/mars_microscope_000817.html. --------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN DIRECTED PANSPERMIA. 1. MICROBES, PLANTS AND PLANETARY SOILS By Michael N. Mautner m.mautner@ibm.net 18 August 2000 About five years ago, the Society for Life in Space--The Interstellar Panspermia Society was announced on the pages of Marsbugs. The ultimate objective of the Society is to prepare interstellar panspermia missions to promote our DNA/protein life form on new solar systems in the galaxy. A small but selected core of over a dozen scientists and students have joined the Society so far. More technical and ethical considerations of directed panspermia, and information on the Society for Life in Space--SOLIS can be found at http://www.panspermia-society.net. Meanwhile, astrobiology has been advancing rapidly and many advances are relevant to directed panspermia. I will review some of these developments in Marsbugs, starting with some work from my own laboratory. Microorganisms may be introduced to planetary environments by local biogenesis, or natural or directed panspermia. The host environments may be planets under early planetary conditions, such as carbon dioxide atmosphere; asteroids, including carbonaceous chondrites; or cometary nuclei. In any case, the local rocks and soils must provide nutrients and must not be toxic to inhibit development. With these interests in mind, the soil fertility parameters of these materials should be established. These properties are also of interest for soils in future space colonies and planetary terraforming. Having had an interest in Panspermia for decades, I was fortunate find myself, after a carrer as a physical chemist, at the Soil Science Department at Lincoln University, New Zealand. This combination of interests and facilities lead to a research program on the soil fertility properties of extraterrestrial materials as represented by meteorites. The first studies were aimed at the Murchison CM2 and Allende CV3 carbonaceous chondrites. The program started with an accidental observation. Extracts of Murchison are surface active and can from membranes, as first observed by Professor David Deamer. These components cause some foaming when the extract is shaken in a test tube. However, the foaming disappears after a month, possibly due to microbial degradation. This would suggest that the Murchison materials could serve as microbial nutrients. This observation prompted my colleagues Drs. Bob Leonard and Rob Sherlock, and myself to follow up with a systematic research program. We commenced to grow microorganisms on meteorite extracts. We also subjected these materials to standard soil fertility tests, measuring the extractable macronutrients such as Ca, Mg, Na, K, sulphate and phosphate, and soil indicators such as cation exchange capacity and specific surface area. Of course, meteorites are different from terrestrial soils. Nevertheless, it turned out that in soil fertility properties, the Murchison material can match or exceed productive agricultural soils. This includes both the extractable iorganic nutrients and the organic content, which is similar to humic materials kerogen. Corresponding to the nutrient content, we found that a variety of soil microorganisms can grow on Murchison extracts, such as the oligotrophs Flavobacterium oryzihabitans and Nocardia asteroides. Collaboration with Professor Ken Killham at the University of Aberdeen showed that genetically modified Pseudomonas fluorescence can use the Murchison extracts as a sole carbon source. Some exploratory experiments by Professor High Morgan suggests that anearobic archaebacteria, of special interest for early life, can also grow on the Murchison extracts. In view of potential martian terraforming, we recently extended similar studies to the martian meteorites Dar al Gani 476 and EETA 79001. These shergottites are similar to terrestrial basalts and we also studied such basalts for comparison. In most nutrients, the martian meteorites turned out to be similar to the terrestrial analogues. However, significantly, the martian samples are the highest in the limiting nutrients nitrate and especially in phosphate. Algae are the primary colonizing agents in terrestrial environments such as glaciers, and are likely agents for terraforming. We found recently that, corresponding to its high nutrient content, the Dar al Gani 476 meteorite supports the growth of diverse green and blue- green algae as well as bacteria. In fact, it was reported recently by Dr. Andrew Steele and co-workers at the NASA Johnson Space Center that samples of martian and carbonaceous meteorites are colonized throughout by various microorganisms. As to the potential for space food production, we also examined the growth of potato and asparagus tissue cultures on meteorite extracts, in collaboration with Dr. Tony Conner of the New Zealand Food and Crop Research Institute. The plants were observed to uptake macronutrients from these martian extracts and showed good development and green coloration. Again, corresponding to its high nutrient content, the Dar al Gani 476 meteorite gave the best growth in asparagus plants. Although very small, only a milligram each and not ready for consumers yet, we are pleased to have grown the first martian vegetables. The results bode well for terraforming. Implications for directed panspermia Microbial missions may be sent to nearby new planetary systems, especially to clusters in star-forming interstellar clouds. At the targets, the microbial packets may land on rocky planets similar to early Earth or Mars. They may be also captured in incipient cometary nuclei or asteroids, and delivered later to habitable planets. In any case, they will find themselves in rocks and soils similar to those examined in the above studies. The above studies show that any of these materials can provide the microorganisms with the required nutrients. In fact, pores of carboanceous chondrite meteorites can fill with water in planetary environments and form concentrated nutrient extracts. These solutions in the meteorite pores can be efficient incubators for microorganisms, local or imported. Once adapted to the planetary conditions, the microbes can exit onto a basaltic terrain similar to the martian shergottites, which were also found to be rich in nutrients. The planetary materials at the targets are therefore likely to support the survival and evolution of messenger microorganisms in panspermia payloads. This fulfills one of the essential requirements for directed panspermia. References Mautner, M. N., 1997 b. Directed panspermia. 3. Strategies and motivation for seeding star-forming clouds. JBIS. 50, 93-102. Mautner, M. N., 1997 a. Biological potentials of extraterrestrial materials. 1. Nutrients in carbonaceous meteorites, and effects on biological growth. Planetary and Space Science 45, 653-664. Mautner, M. N., A. J. Conner, K. Killham and D. W. Deamer, 1997. Biological potential of extraterrestrial materials. 2. Microbial and plant responses to nutrients in the Murchison carbonaceous meteorite. Icarus 135, 245-253. Mautner, M. N., 1999. Formation, chemistry and fertility of extraterrestrial soils: Cohesion, water adsorption and surface area of carbonaceous chondrites. Prebiotic and space resource applications. Icarus 137, 178–195. Biographical note Michael Noah Mautner was born in Budapest, Hungary, educated in Israel and obtained a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at the Rockefeller University, New York. He served on the faculty of Rockefeller University, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and as Research Professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University. He is currently Senior Fellow at the University of Canterbury and Lincoln University in New Zealand. He is the author of over 140 papers on ion chemistry, astrochemistry, biophysics and astrobiology. His book The Purpose and Future of Life: The Ethics and Science of Seeding the Galaxy was the first book of the new millennium, launched at 12:00 midnight on 1 January 2000 in Christchurch, New Zealand. E- mail: m.mautner@ibm.net. --------------------------------------------------------------------- WATER ON MARS: THE DEBATE RAGES ANEW By Leonard David From Space.com 21 August 2000 Diverging from decades of conventional wisdom, a science team says liquid water can exist and pool on the surface of Mars, ideal for sustaining martian life across the entire planet. If correct, the finding would build on images released in June that scientists have interpreted as showing liquid water at or near the surface of the Red Planet in recent geologic times. Many scientists were baffled by those images as it is widely assumed that liquid water cannot exist at Mars' surface due to the planet's thin atmosphere. But now two researchers argue that Mars sustains a daily dousing of moisture at the planet's top layer of soil in amounts sufficient to sustain life. It is also possible that “pools of water” may collect at the bottom of Valles Marineris, the Grand Canyon of Mars. Get the full story at http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_surfacewater_0 00821.html. --------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW ADDITIONS TO THE ASTROBIOLOGY, EXOBIOLOGY AND TERRAFORMATION INDEX By David J. Thomas 21 August 2000 Astrobiology, exobiology and terraformation articles online http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/astrobiology/online_article s1.html L. David, 2000. Uncertain sponsorship for Mars-bound, life-seeking microscope. Space.com. L. David, 2000. Water on Mars: the debate rages anew. Space.com. Articles on human space exploration and the microgravity environment http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/astrobiology/online_article s3.html G. Clark, 2000. Mars on Earth: Arctic crater reveals martian secrets. Space.com. Astrobiology and extreme environments book list http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/astrobiology/astrobiology_b ooks.html G. S. Kutter, 1987. The Universe and Life. Jones & Bartlett Publishing, Boston. --------------------------------------------------------------------- CASSINI WEEKLY SIGNIFICANT EVENTS JPL releases 3-9 August 2000 The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired from the Goldstone tracking station on Wednesday, 08/09. The Cassini spacecraft is in an excellent state of health and is operating normally. The speed of the spacecraft can be viewed on the “Where is Cassini Now?” web page at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/today/. This week's activity onboard the spacecraft focused exclusively on the first phase of Command & Data Subsystem Flight Software (CDS FSW) Checkout. The CDS FSW team, as well as the entire Spacecraft Office (SCO), reached a milestone on August 9, with the switching of CDS prime software to Version 7_011. The string swap completed successfully and CDS_A has transitioned to prime. Prior to the switch, a test of the CDS SSR-A memory and power controller was performed. These tests are run regularly before each turn off and after each turn on. Following successful turn on and testing, SSR-A was loaded with CDS, Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS), and Instrument FSW from SSR-B. Throughout this portion of the checkout, all subsystems on the spacecraft operated normally and downlink from the spacecraft was resumed after a 5 minute planned outage. Version 7_011 has several updates necessary for support of sequences during the Jupiter flyby, and utilizes a new System Fault Protection algorithm. All the required files for the instrument turn-on scheduled for the end of C21 have been received, integrated and placed on Distributed Object Manager (DOM) for review. Files for the Preliminary Sequence Integration and Validation phase (SIV) for C22 have been delivered and the Sequence of Events (SOE) and Space Flight Operations Schedule (SFOS) files generated. Plans were finalized for Integration Test Laboratory (ITL) testing of one activity in the C22 background sequence, the observation of the star Fomalhaut. In addition, plans were made for testing of the real-time flight software loads for the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) and the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA). C22 contains activities that complete Instrument Checkout, and begin Jupiter science. Instrument Operations (IO) and the Telecommunications and Mission Operations Directorate (TMOD) completed the VoIP (Voice-over-Internet Protocol) test with the Huygens Probe Operations Center (HPOC). TMOD is currently evaluating an option for decommissioning analog voice lines and combining both data and voice over a single line. This technology is expected to save NASA almost $130K/year/circuit. The intent of the test was to demonstrate the feasibility of this concept. It proved to be very successful. IO completed initial delivery of Imaging Science Subsystem/Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (ISS/VIMS) Level 1A data product ground software to the Multi-mission Image Processing Laboratory (MIPL). During Instrument Checkout 2 (ICO) Quiet Test (July 26, 2000), ISS took 23 Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and 23 Wide Angle Camera (WAC) images during the “noisy” mode, and 30 NAC and 22 WAC images during the “listening” mode. The data were read, stored, then downloaded for engineering analysis. The data have been delivered to the ISS and VIMS science teams. Preliminary analysis of RPWS data from the Quiet Test has been released. Overall the spacecraft and instruments were observed to be very quiet. This second data set has been compared with the results of the first ICO in January 1999. In general the results are similar for the two tests. Analysis of this data will continue for some time. IO has completed Version 1 of the Archive Plan for Science Data, and distributed it for signature. All Cassini teams participated in the NASA Quarterly review (aka GPMC) held this week at JPL. The Cassini/Huygens Spacecraft Geometry Reference Tool (aka the mug) is currently available for sale to Flight Team members. The detailed information provided on science instrumentation, spacecraft axes and major components has already proven to be extremely valuable and is being widely utilized by program members. The Cassini Real-time operations area was one of the locations visited by a TV crew from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The crew was collecting material for a children's program focused on space. Forty-three master teachers participating in the Solar System Educator Program were introduced to the Cassini Program and its educational materials. This included classroom demonstrations, student activities involving light scattering, gravity assist, and planetary magnetic fields, and a tour of the Cassini real time operations area. Cassini's joint flyby of Jupiter with Galileo was described, including the cooperation with the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) program to monitor Jupiter for both science and calibration purposes during Cassini's flyby. 10-16 August 2000 This week's activity onboard the spacecraft continued to center on the Command & Data Subsystem Flight Software (CDS FSW) Uplink and Checkout. The prime string has been successfully running the new (Version 7) software for over a week while the online (backup) string continues to execute the old (Version 5) software. The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team has released preliminary results from the ICO2 quiet test held on July 26. Data indicate no interference was detected beyond the instrument's own internal interference. This is a very positive outcome for this test. In light of Cassini's fast approaching encounter with Jupiter and its joint observations with Galileo, two presentations on Galilean satellites were made at the Cassini Design Team Meeting. The first presentation “Icy Galilean Satellites” covered recent developments in the understanding of the surface compositions of the icy Galilean satellites--Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Most of the new results have come from the Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) instrument on Galileo. Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instrument has about twice the spectral resolution as is available on Galileo. Thus, Cassini data from the flyby of Jupiter will enable a further refinement of the identification of the observed absorption bands. “Constraints on Io's Heat Flow” was the topic of the second presentation. Io is the most volcanically active place known. About the same size and density as the Moon, Io exceeds the Moon by about four orders of magnitude in heat production. The amount of heat flowing from Io's interior is a fundamental constraint for modeling not only the interior of Io but also the interior of Jupiter, and the tidal evolution of the orbits of the satellites. The Jupiter Science Planning Virtual Team (SPVT) implementation activity for C23 completed on August 11, and the product was delivered to the SVT to continue the final part of the sequence development process. This is the sequence that will be active on the spacecraft during the closest approach to Jupiter. In preparation for the Jupiter Readiness Review to be held on August 25, developers for Jupiter capabilities met to review status and plans for all outstanding activities for this phase of the mission. Out of 25 development tasks originally scheduled for this phase, 19 are complete and 6 are still outstanding. No problems are anticipated in reaching planned readiness by the time of the review. System Engineering coordinated a switch to new Multi-link Point to Point Protocol between JPL and Goldstone. This new protocol combines the “Big Pipe” and the “Little Pipe” (High volume flow and backup capability) providing a significant increase in available bandwidth for operational support. Within the Science Opportunity Analyzer program, the need for new functionality was identified and is being investigated. Specifically, given a starting attitude, a turn and/or resulting attitude, it is planned to evaluate geometric constraints. This would allow prompt elimination of non-viable attitudes, and should speed up the “what-if” process. --------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS WEEK ON GALILEO JPL releases 7-13 August 2000 The cold dark vacuum of space envelops Galileo as it continues its journey around our solar system's largest planet, Jupiter. Galileo is not alone on this journey, however, as a dedicated crew of people here on Earth monitor its health and care for its every need. In return, Galileo has provided humanity with a vast amount of knowledge about Jupiter, its atmosphere, the largest four of its 17 moons, its rings and minor moons, and the charged particles and fields of its magnetosphere. The spacecraft spends this week continuing the return of science data acquired in May when it flew past Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon. The data are stored on an onboard tape recorder. During playback, the spacecraft's main computer retrieves the data from the tape recorder, compresses and packages it, and then transmits it to Earth. The large radio antennas of the Deep Space Network then receive Galileo's transmissions and forward them to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, for decoding. Four observations from that May flyby are returned to Earth this week, and playback is interrupted twice to perform engineering activities. On Wednesday, the spacecraft performs a small turn to keep its radio antenna pointed toward Earth. On Friday, Galileo performs standard maintenance on its onboard tape recorder. Galileo's Solid-State Imaging camera (SSI) returns parts of two observations this week. The first is the last in a series of five high-resolution observations dedicated to providing scientists with information to help explain how different features and terrains came to exist on Ganymede's surface. Other such observations have been returned in previous weeks, and this week's mosaic of images captures caldera-like features. Then, SSI returns a portion of the first of five mosaics centered at the same locations as the previous high- resolution observations, but covering a much wider area of the surface. These wider images will provide the geologic context for the high-resolution samples. In addition, the motion of the spacecraft along its flight path at the time these observations were taken will allow stereo images to be produced by combining data from the high-resolution and context images. The context observation returned this week contains a region of smooth bright terrain and grooved terrain that may be partially surrounded, or “engulfed” by the nearby terrain. The Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer returns the next observation. Also of Ganymede, the observation contains a spectral scan of a dark crater. Surrounding the crater are ice and background dark regions. The scan will map the spatial distributions of the different surface types within and adjacent to the crater. The data will also enable scientists to determine the grain sizes of the surface materials, an important clue in all investigations of geological processes. As during the previous weeks, the Fields and Particles instruments continue to return portions of a 60-minute high-resolution recording of the plasma, dust, and electric and magnetic fields surrounding Ganymede. The Fields and Particles instruments are comprised of the Dust Detector, Energetic Particle Detector, Heavy Ion Counter, Magnetometer, Plasma Detector, and Plasma Wave instrument. The data taken during this observation will allow scientists to obtain a more complete understanding of the unique interactions between the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Ganymede. Ganymede is the only planetary moon that is known to have its own internally-generated magnetic field, and thus, its own magnetosphere. 14-20 August 2000 Galileo finds itself about 5.1 astronomical units (768 million kilometers, 477 million miles) from Earth this week as the spacecraft continues to orbit Jupiter and its many moons. Galileo's radio signal travels at the speed of light, which amounts to just under 300 million meters per second (1079 million kilometers per hour, 671 million miles per hour). This means that it takes Galileo's radio signal just under 43 minutes to reach Earth. One astronomical unit is equal to the average distance of the Earth from the Sun. Galileo's week is fairly quiet. The spacecraft continues to return science data acquired during its May flyby of Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede. Five observations are on the playback schedule. Four are returned by the Solid-State Imaging camera (SSI) and one by the Fields and Particles instruments. The Fields and Particles instruments continue to return portions of a 60-minute high-resolution recording of the plasma, dust, and electric and magnetic fields surrounding Ganymede. Ganymede is the only planetary moon that is known to have its own internally-generated magnetic field, and these data will allow scientists to obtain a better understanding of the interaction between Jupiter's magnetic field and Ganymede's magnetic field. SSI spends the week returning portions of four mosaics centered at the same locations on Ganymede as some previously-returned high- resolution images. These latest observations, however, provide a much more panoramic view. The high-resolution observations were designed to provide scientists with information regarding how different features and terrains came to exist on Ganymede's surface. These wider views will provide the geologic context for the higher- resolution images. In addition, combining the two data sets will allow stereo images of these regions to be produced. The views returned this week contain smooth bright and grooved terrain, a transition region between bright and dark terrain, a region of pristine dark terrain, and a region of smooth bright terrain containing a band with a smooth plank-like appearance. Finally, Galileo's Dust Detector was recently commanded to resume real-time data collection, and will continue to do so through September 3rd. Periodic read-outs of the instrument's memory showed unexpected increases in the number of dust particles during mid and late July, with thousands of impacts occurring on some days. Real time data collection will allow for closer monitoring of dust activity and will tell scientists about the size, speed, and origin of these micron- and submicron-sized particles. 21-27 August 2000 Many observations are returned this week as the Galileo spacecraft continues to play back science data acquired during its May flyby of Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon. Playback is interrupted on Thursday so the spacecraft can perform standard maintenance on its propulsion systems. Parts of 24 observations are returned from the Solid-State Imaging camera (SSI), Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS), Photopolarimeter Radiometer (PPR), and Fields and Particles instruments. The Fields and Particles instruments are the Dust Detector, Energetic Particle Detector, Heavy Ion Counter, Magnetometer, Plasma Detector, and Plasma Wave instrument. In addition to playback, Galileo's Dust Detector is monitoring the dust environment surrounding the spacecraft. Periodic readouts of the instrument's memory during mid- and late July showed thousands of impacts occurring on some days. Real-time data collection will allow scientists to get better information on the size, speed, and origin of these micron- and submicron-sized particles. First on the playback schedule, SSI returns portions of two context observations that were centered at the same locations on Ganymede as some high-resolution images that were returned previously. These two observations are part of a campaign of five high-resolution and five context observations that will allow scientists to get a better idea of how different features and terrains came into existence on Ganymede's surface. In addition, combination of the high-resolution and context observations for each region will allow stereo images of the regions to be produced. Throughout the week, the Fields and Particles instruments return portions of two observations. One is a 60-minute high-resolution recording of the plasma, dust, and electric and magnetic fields surrounding Ganymede, which is the only planetary moon known to have its own magnetic field. Portions of a month-long low-resolution survey of Jupiter's magnetosphere are the second set of data returned this week. The lengthy survey not only provides context for the high-resolution recording but also provides scientists with information on both the inner and outer regions of Jupiter's magnetosphere and the transition out into the solar wind. NIMS and SSI continue next with the return of more observations of Ganymede. NIMS returns a scan performed just off of Ganymede's limb, which is designed to give scientists more information on Ganymede's tenuous atmosphere. SSI then returns an image of enigmatic smooth dark terrain, which is characterized by a wispy appearance. NIMS returns to the playback schedule with a spectral scan of the Perrine region on Ganymede, which will provide information on the distribution and composition of ice and non-ice materials. PPR joins the fray with the return of observations of Ganymede and Europa. First, PPR returns information describing the daytime thermal properties of Ganymede's surface. Next, and throughout the week, PPR returns nine polarimetry observations of Europa. The polarimetry measurements will allow scientists to learn about surface texture and small-scale surface properties. Each of the nine observations is taken at a different solar phase angle. Next, NIMS returns two more observations. The first consists of a high-resolution spectral map of Ganymede's entire disk. The second observation is a distant scan of Europa while the icy moon is in Jupiter's shadow. A very low signal is expected, but detection of an elevated signal would suggest the presence of anomalously warm regions of the surface. Such regions could be caused either by unusual surface materials or by the presence of recent ice-volcanic activity. The remaining five observations are returned by PPR, with a shift in focus to Jupiter's atmosphere. Two observations return polarimetry measurements of the atmosphere, which will provide scientists with information on the structure and temperature of its upper levels. Next, PPR returns a thermal map of recently-merged white ovals in Jupiter's atmosphere. White ovals are storms that occur between two adjacent zonal jet streams, and last for decades. Two of them have merged within the past few months to create a single storm. Finally, PPR returns two scans of Jupiter's limb. These scans are designed to detect upwellings in Jupiter's atmosphere. For more information on the Galileo spacecraft and its mission to Jupiter, please visit the Galileo home page at one of the following URL's: http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo --------------------------------------------------------------------- ISS STATUS REPORTS JPL releases 7 August 2000 The stage is set for another docking to the International Space Station (ISS) Tuesday - this time by a Russian Progress supply vehicle that launched Sunday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Progress is delivering clothing, computers, personal hygiene items, office supplies, food and fuel for the first permanent residents of the Station, the Expedition One crew, which is scheduled to arrive on board in early November. Following a series of rendezvous maneuvers, the Progress is scheduled to dock at 3:14 PM Central time (12:14 AM Moscow time August 9) at the aft end of the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module to wait unpacking by Atlantis' crew during the STS-106 mission early next month. Atlantis was transported early this morning from its processing hangar at the Kennedy Space Center to the Vehicle Assembly Building to be mated to its fuel tank and solid rocket boosters. The Shuttle will be hauled to its launch pad late Sunday night, arriving at dawn next Monday for final processing for launch on September 8. The Progress M1 cargo ship was launched atop a Soyuz rocket at 1:26:42 PM CDT Sunday afternoon and reached a safe orbit nine minutes later. A short time later, all communications antennae and solar arrays had been deployed. Two rendezvous burns later Sunday placed the Progress in a 298 by 270 kilometer orbit. The ISS orbit is 363 by 351 kilometers. Another rendezvous burn was successfully conducted today at 2:23 PM CDT, with two more planned tomorrow, all designed to place the Progress in close proximity to the Station for Tuesday's automatic docking. All of the Progress' systems are functioning normally. The ISS systems are also in excellent shape as the recently expanded Station awaits the arrival of its newest component. With the Progress attached, the ISS will measure 143 feet in length and will weigh 67 tons, almost twice as large as it was in May the last time a Shuttle crew conducted assembly work. 8 August 2000 The International Space Station (ISS) grew in size and capability once again today with the picture-perfect docking of its first Progress supply craft at 3:13 PM Central Time. The Russian Progress M1 was launched Sunday afternoon and spent the last two days executing rendezvous burns that eventually placed it in close proximity to the station. Over Russian communications stations, Progress used its automated KURS docking system to hone in on the aft docking port of the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module, enabling the linkup to occur on time as the two craft flew over Kazakhstan. At the time of docking, Progress approached Zvezda at a rate of about two-tenths of a meter per second. Shortly after contact between the two vehicles, hooks and latches began to engage, forming a tight seal between the two craft. The supply ship is carrying 1,356 pounds of supplies, including clothing, food, computers and other equipment that will be unloaded by seven astronauts and cosmonauts who will arrive at the ISS in September on the STS-106 mission aboard the Shuttle Atlantis. The Progress also carried a load of fuel, which will be automatically transferred through propellent lines to refill the tanks on both the Zvezda and Zarya modules. Atlantis is scheduled to be moved to its launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center late Sunday night in anticipation of a planned September 8 launch. Once they arrive at the ISS, Atlantis' crew members will begin the task of unpacking the Progress and a Spacehab module in the Shuttle's cargo bay to set up shop for the arrival of the first permanent residents of the ISS in early November. With the arrival of the Progress, the Station continues to rapidly expand, now measuring 143 feet in length and weighing 67 tons. The ISS can be viewed from the ground under proper lighting conditions. To see when the ISS is visible, check the human space flight web site at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/. For updates on all aspects of human space flight, visit http://spaceflight.nasa.gov. 17 August 2000 International Space Station flight controllers in the United States and Russia continued preparations this week for the next station visitors, the crew of Shuttle mission STS-106, planned to open up the newly attached Zvezda living quarters module for the first time. Following the August 8 docking of a Progress supply vehicle to the station, controllers pressurized the vestibule between Progress and Zvezda and conducted a successful check for leaks. The seven-member crew of STS-106 will unload supplies and equipment from the Progress into the station through the vestibule. Propellant lines between the supply craft and Zvezda also were checked, and controllers began moving propellants--fuel and oxidizer- -from the Progress tanks to fill those on the Zvezda module on Thursday. That fuel transfer was successfully completed. However, on Friday, during the transfer of oxidizer from Progress to Zvezda, the operation was automatically stopped due to a suspected instrumentation problem. The transfer of propellant is expected to begin again this week. During the fuel transfer, Zvezda's attitude control thrusters were shut down for about two and a half hours due to a ground command error. The shutdown posed no problems for the station, since it is in a naturally stable orientation that requires extremely few jet firings to maintain. Further commands reestablished operation of the attitude control thrusters. Also this week, controllers, using views from a camera on the Zarya module, confirmed that one docking target on the exterior of Zvezda had only partially deployed after launch. Although the situation has no impact on current station activities, controllers are assessing the possibility of STS-106 astronauts Ed Lu and Yuri Malenchenko deploying the target manually during a spacewalk that is already planned for the mission. A successful test firing of thrusters on the Progress craft was performed Tuesday and changed the velocity of the station by about two miles per hour (one meter per second). A second firing is planned Thursday that will change the velocity by about nine miles per hour (four meters per second). During the next few weeks one or two more firings may be performed to fine-tune the station's position for the Shuttle's rendezvous on STS-106. Meanwhile, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, Atlantis has been moved to its launch pad in anticipation of a planned September 8 liftoff. At the station, Atlantis' crew will unpack the Progress and a Spacehab module in the Shuttle's cargo bay, setting the stage for the arrival of the first resident station crew this fall. --------------------------------------------------------------------- MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR STATUS REPORTS JPL releases 2 August 2000 Launch / Days since Launch = November 7, 1996 / 1365 days Start of Mapping / Days since Start of Mapping = April 1, 1999 / 489 days Total Mapping Orbits = 6274 Total Orbits = 7877 Recent events The spacecraft continues to operate nominally in performing the beta- supplement daily recording and transmission of science data. The mm056 sequence executed successfully from 00-209 (7/27/00) through 00-211 (7/29/00). The mm057 sequence has performed well since it started on 00-212 (7/30/00). It terminates on 00-215 (8/02/00). The mm058 sequence, successfully uplinked on 00-214 (8/01/00), begins executing on 00-216 (8/03/00). On 00-214 (8/01/00), the MOLA was turned on as part of the mm057 sequence. It had been off for a two-month period that included Solar Conjunction. MOLA laser transmitter life is directly related to its on-time. We plan to double its remaining useful life by operating the instrument every other month. Spacecraft health All subsystems report nominal health. Uplinks There have been 13 uplinks to the spacecraft during the last week, including new star catalogs and ephemeris files, instrument command loads, and the background sequences cited above. There have been 4765 command files radiated to the spacecraft since launch. Upcoming events The mz053 mini-sequence will be uplinked 00-216 (8/03/00). It contains the Radio Science Occultation Egress Scans that will take place on 00-221 (8/8/00) and 00-222 (8/9/00). The mm059 background sequence will be uplinked 00-217 (8/04/00). 9 August 2000 Launch / Days since Launch = November 7, 1996 / 1372 days Start of Mapping / Days since Start of Mapping = April 1, 1999 / 496 days Total Mapping Orbits = 6360 Total Orbits = 7963 Recent events The spacecraft continues to operate nominally in performing the beta- supplement daily recording and transmission of science data. The mm058 sequence executed successfully from 00-216 (8/03/00) through 00-218 (8/05/00). The mm059 sequence has performed well since it started on 00-219 (8/06/00). It terminates on 00-222 (8/09/00). The mm060 sequence, successfully uplinked on 00-222 (8/09/00), begins executing on 00-223 (8/10/00). The spacecraft successfully completed twelve Radio Science Occultation Egress Scans on 00-221 (8/8/00) and 00-222 (8/9/00). The AACS performed well using the same off-NADIR pointing scheme that proved successful last May. Spacecraft health All subsystems report nominal health. Uplinks There have been 9 uplinks to the spacecraft during the last week, including new star catalogs and ephemeris files, instrument command loads, and the background sequences cited above. There have been 4774 command files radiated to the spacecraft since launch. Upcoming events The mm061 background sequence will be uplinked 00-224 (8/11/00). MOLA Polar Scans are scheduled for 00-242 (8/29/00) through 00-246 (9/2/00). 16 August 2000 Launch / Days since Launch = November 7, 1996 / 1379 days Start of Mapping / Days since Start of Mapping = April 1, 1999 / 503 days Total Mapping Orbits = 6446 Total Orbits = 8049 Recent events The spacecraft continues to operate nominally in performing the beta- supplement daily recording and transmission of science data. The mm060 sequence executed successfully from 00-223 (8/10/00) through 00-225 (8/12/00). The mm061 sequence has performed well since it started on 00-226 (8/13/00). It terminates on 00-229 (8/16/00). The mm062 sequence, successfully uplinked on 00-228 (8/15/00), begins executing on 00-230 (8/17/00). Spacecraft health All subsystems report nominal health. Uplinks There have been 14 uplinks to the spacecraft during the last week, including new star catalogs and ephemeris files, instrument command loads, and the background sequences cited above. There have been 4788 command files radiated to the spacecraft since launch. Upcoming events The mm063 background sequence will be uplinked 00-231 (8/18/00). MOLA Polar Scans are scheduled for 00-243 (8/30/00) through 00-246 (9/2/00). --------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER VIEWS AVAILABLE By Ron Baalke 15 August 2000 New MOLA views from the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft of the major martian volcanoes have been released on the MOLA home page at http://ltpwww.gsfc.nasa.gov/tharsis/volcano.html. The image captions are appended below. MOLA is the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter, an instrument currently in orbit around Mars on the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft. The instrument transmits infrared laser pulses towards Mars at a rate of 10 Hz and measures the time of flight to determine the range of the MGS spacecraft to the martian surface. The range measurements are used to construct a precise topographic map of Mars that has many applications to studies in geophysics, geology and atmospheric circulation. Major martian volcanoes from MOLA Two views of Alba Patera with topography draped over a Viking image mosaic. MOLA data have clarified the relationship between fault location and topography on and surrounding the Alba construct, providing insight into the volcanological and geophysical processes that shaped the edifice. The vertical exaggeration is 10:1. (Credit: MOLA Science Team) Two views of Arsia Mons, the southern most of the Tharsis montes, shown as topography draped over a Viking image mosaic. MOLA topography clearly shows the caldera structure and the flank massive breakout that produced a major side lobe. The vertical exaggeration is 10:1. (Credit: MOLA Science Team) Two views of Olympus Mons, shown as topography draped over a Viking image mosaic. MOLA's regional topography has shown that this volcano sits off to the west of the main Tharsis rise rather than on its western flank. The topography also clearly shows the relationship between the volcano's scarp and massive aureole deposit that was produced by flank collapse. The vertical exaggeration is 10:1. (Credit: MOLA Science Team) --------------------------------------------------------------------- STARDUST STATUS REPORTS JPL releases 4 August 2000 There were two Deep Space Network (DSN) tracking passes during the past week. All subsystems onboard the spacecraft are performing normally. The Navigation Camera (NAVCAM) Charge Couple Device (CCD) heater test has been postponed. The NAVCAM designer expressed concern that the CCD could have incurred radiation damage during the large solar flare on July 12, 2000. An image will be taken next week to verify if any damage was incurred by the solar flare. The solar flare radiation may increase the CCD dark current (background noise) that could mask dim star and Comet Wild 2 images. A meeting was held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to discuss the upcoming Earth Gravity Assist (EGA). EGA will occur on 15 January 15 2001 when Stardust will flyby Earth at a distance of 6,000 km. The flyby will be reasonably uneventful, only using the Earth's gravity to send the spacecraft farther out into the solar system, out to the orbit of Comet Wild 2. After the flyby, images will be taken of the Earth and Moon by the NAVCAM to help determine the performance of the camera. Also during the meeting at JPL, plans were made to conduct an Encounter Workshop during the spring of 2001. At that time encounter will be less than 3 years away. The encounter scenario will be reviewed and the spacecraft's current performance will be evaluated for its impact on the encounter scenario. The Stardust Education and Public Outreach team supported the NASA Solar System Educators Workshop held at JPL with 47 teachers from across the country participating. The JPL news release titled “Back to School: Inspiring America's Youth” dated 2 August described this activity in more detail. 12 August 2000 There were two Deep Space Network (DSN) tracking passes during the past week. All subsystems onboard the spacecraft are performing normally. The Navigation Camera (NAVCAM) Charge Couple Device (CCD) heater test will now proceed as planned. The NAVCAM designer had expressed concern that the CCD could have incurred radiation damage during the large solar flare on July 12, 2000. An image was taken on August 8, and the results were assessed the next day. After considerable discussion, and post-discussion analysis, it could not actually be determined if there was a dark current increase. With that, there was still unanimous agreement to proceed with the CCD Heater test. Comparisons with other CCD's, particularly of Galileo and Cassini, were included in the assessment. 18 August 2000 There were two Deep Space Network (DSN) tracking passes during the past week (actually overlaping tracks to make one 10-hour contact period). All subsystems onboard the spacecraft are performing normally. The long tracking pass on August 16 was to start the Navigation Camera CCD heater sequence. Two baseline Navigation Camera (NAVCAM) images were taken, then the NAVCAM CCD heater was turned on and a series of NAVCAM images were started that will run over the next week. Before the DSN tracking pass ended yesterday, a total of 8 NAVCAM images had been taken. Ten images remain to be taken. This CCD heater will be turned off on August 22. Analysis of the images returned so far is ongoing but the very preliminary analysis of the one and two hour images appears to show some change in the images. Prior to the start of the test, the NAVCAM CCD temperature was approximately -35°C. At the end of the DSN pass, the temperature appeared to have reached a steady state value of slightly over 9°C. A Payload Attitude Control Interface (PACI) reset was observed (August 10) that raised some concern since the temperature range of the Command & Data Handling (C&DH) subsystem is presently in the range (43 to 45°C) where previous PACI resets have occurred. The NAVCAM CCD heater test took it above 45°C to a safe range. Options are being looked into to keep the C&DH in a safe temperature range. A meeting was held with the Cometary and Interstellar Dust Analyzer (CIDA) instrument team in Helsinki. Operation and data analysis were discussed. Both the calibration data and the raw flight data are being prepared for archiving. For more information on the Stardust mission--the first ever comet sample return mission--please visit the Stardust home page at http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov. --------------------------------------------------------------------- End Marsbugs, Volume 7, Number 31.