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NASA plans Mars launch next fall
"All indications are that they're still on track for the '09 launch," Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program, said at a teleconference.
The space agency will review the mission's progress again in January, he said.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in charge of building the spacecraft, believes it needs an additional $100 million, on top of previous budget increases, to meet the current launch schedule.
The original $1.6 billion budget has already been increased to $1.9 billion, McCuistion said.
Agency officials are working with the White House and Congress on budget challenges and monitoring progress on hardware and software development, McCuistion said.
The rover, officially known as the Mars Science Laboratory, is part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the red planet.
The rover -- a space exploration vehicle designed to move across Mars' surface -- will assess whether Mars ever was, or is still today, able to support life, even of microorganisms, NASA says.
The rover plans to analyze dozens of samples scooped from the soil and drilled from rocks to determine the planet's present and past climate and geology, NASA says.
The exploration program includes three previous successful landers -- the two Viking landers in 1976 and Pathfinder in 1997.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
This news arrived on: 10/10/2008
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Posted Comments:
10-20-2008 03:39
Jane E. Deel wrote:
Mars Explorations
Of course we should pursue our efforts in space as we may need this technology sooner than we think. I am praying for a better year on this earth in many ways, but we must be prepared for everything to secure safety and security for our country.
NOTE: Starting at the top - I think the names of our astronauts should be in print way more often. And their families. They are risking their lives up there you know. Are they not heros?
Jane in Virginia
NOTE: Starting at the top - I think the names of our astronauts should be in print way more often. And their families. They are risking their lives up there you know. Are they not heros?
Jane in Virginia
10-18-2008 22:42
Kyle Gosnell wrote:
New Mars Rover
BE sure to have a high speed camera, as well as a radar to sense movement at a distance. Observations show high speed movement, and close movement, that cannot be seen by the current cameras. What it is?, who knows, all the same, it is there, there is more, but it is not time for that yet. Mars has life, alien to us, mobile and plant life that resembles nothing like on Earth, except perhaps an Arachnid like thing or two, and a few Altered Hermit crabs who use rocks instead of shells
10-13-2008 19:33
Irena wrote:
Mars Launch
Right now the US is in a major crisis of job losses, agricultural losses, industrial losses, and home losses. The billions of dollars being spent for NASA should be placed on hold for the next 10 years and spent towards rebuilding our social and economic structures and improvements to our agriculture in order to rebuild what our forefathers started in order to make our country a strong nation again.
10-13-2008 11:27
Riker47 wrote:
Mars
I disagree....we NEED to explore Mars and Tera form it to support human life so that we as a species can escape to it when we have destroyed our planet!
10-13-2008 09:42
wrote:
I think the money would be better used to find
cures for cancer,alzheimers,and the many other
diseases.Also,the money should be used to help
U.S. citizens. Who cares if there is or was life
on Mars? It is just another example of government
waste.
cures for cancer,alzheimers,and the many other
diseases.Also,the money should be used to help
U.S. citizens. Who cares if there is or was life
on Mars? It is just another example of government
waste.
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