LinkNotes: The Next NASA Mars Rover

2008-10-13

The Next NASA Mars Rover

U.S. space administration NASA has revealed an ambitious plan to launch a new Mars rover in 2009, the Mars Science Laboratory, and advanced robotic vehicle, able to make decisions and avoid hazards on its own.

clipped from marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk

Nasa committed to Mars rover plan

Nasa is pushing ahead with plans to launch its next Mars mission in 2009, but acknowledges that extra funds are required to make it happen.

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) will be the biggest planetary rover yet; it will be the size of a Mini Cooper.

clipped from uk.youtube.com

Mars Science Laboratory - Next NASA Rover

Scheduled to launch in the fall of 2009, Mars Science Laboratory is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the red planet. Mars Science Laboratory is a rover that will assess whether Mars ever was, or is still today, an environment able to support microbial life. In other words, its mission is to determine the planet's "habitability."