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Editorial Team

Mars Daily Editorial Team

Editorial Team

The Mars Daily Editorial Team produces Mars Daily's coverage of Mars exploration and science. We report on rovers and orbiters, sample-return and human-Mars planning, and the geology, atmosphere and astrobiology of the Red Planet. Articles reflect our team's collective editorial process, source verification, drafting, technical review, and editing, rather than a single writer's work. Mars Daily takes editorial responsibility for content under this byline. For more on how we work, see our editorial policy.

Marsquakes: Cracking the Water Case?

Moffett Field CA (SPX) Nov 01, 2004 - Strings of depressions dotting the Martian landscape indicate that seismic activity - marsquakes - may still be reshaping the surface of the planet, according to Dr. David Ferrill of Southwest Research Institute in a paper published in the October 10 issue of GSA Today. These pit chains occur along dilational faults, partially filled or open cavities that served as conduits for past groundwater flow.

Nov 1, 2004

NASA’s Mars Rovers Pass the 50,000-Picture Mark

Pasadena CA (SPX) Nov 01, 2004 - A view of the sundial-like calibration target on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, with a bit of martian terrain in the background, is the 50,000th image from the twin rovers that have been exploring Mars since January.

Nov 1, 2004

Red Planet: Catabatic Winds

Moffett Field CA (SPX) Nov 01, 2004 - On Earth, gravity-driven south polar cap winds are termed catabatic winds. They are caused by the downward motion of cold air. Catabatic winds begin over the smooth expanse of the cap interior due to temperature differences between the atmosphere and the surface.

Nov 1, 2004

Canada and Mars Evening In Montreal Highlights Local Space Activities

Montreal QC (SPX) Oct 29, 2004 - Mars Society Canada (MSC), in conjunction with CASI - Concordia University, held a successful night of Mars related presentations in Montreal on October 28, 2004.

Oct 29, 2004

Researchers Detect Methane On Mars

Ann Arbor MI (SPX) Oct 29, 2004 - A University of Michigan scientist is part of a European Space Agency team that has detected methane gas on Mars, the clearest indicator yet that there could be life there, said Sushil Atreya, professor and director of the Planetary Science Laboratory in the College of Engineering.

Oct 29, 2004

Severe Glacial Cycles On Mars

Paris, France (SPX) Oct 28, 2004 - Since the arrival of Mars Global Surveyor and more recently Mars Odyssey spacecrafts, a range of facts has revealed the existence of frozen water ice in the top meters of high latitudes near-surface (~60 deg - 90 deg) of both martian hemispheres. However, its origin was still unexplained.

Oct 28, 2004

Martian Meteorite Measurements Give Information On Planet Evolution

New Haven CT (SPX) Oct 26, 2004 - Scientists in the department of Geology and Geophysics at Yale University have devised a method to precisely date the timing and temperature of a meteorite impact on Mars that led to ejection of a piece of the planet into space and its eventual impact on Earth.

Oct 26, 2004

Spirit’s Mulls Over Uchben

Pasadena CA (JPL) Oct 26, 2004 - Spirit is healthy and currently investigating a layered rock called Uchben. Spirit is farther from the equator than its twin, Opportunity is, and it has much less available solar energy. Spirit's solar panels are pointed to the northern Sun, but Spirit is still only getting about 400 watt-hours of energy per day - enough to run a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

Oct 26, 2004

Opportunity Ready To Make Climb To Burns Cliff

NASA's Opportunity rover continues to operate without any major issues after spending 130 sols inside "Endurance Crater". To date, the rover has…

Oct 22, 2004

Spirit Steers Into Trouble Again

Pasadena CA (JPL) Oct 21, 2004 - A problem that affects the steering on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has recurred after disappearing for nearly two weeks. Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., are working to fully understand the intermittent problem and then implement operational work-arounds.

Oct 21, 2004

Spirit Investigating Ancient Rocks

Pasadena CA (JPL) Oct 21, 2004 - Spirit had a productive week investigating the rock Tetl. On sol 277, Spirit attempted a drive to the next rock target, Uchben, which means ancient in the old Mayan language.

Oct 21, 2004

Rim Of Crater Huygens On Mars

Paris (ESA) Oct 20, 2004 - This image, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, shows the eastern rim of the Martian impact crater Huygens.

Oct 20, 2004

Mission To Mars: Risky Business

Moffett Field CA (SPX) Oct 19, 2004 - The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission has sent back groundbreaking information about the history of Mars. The most important result is the discovery of salt deposits that indicate that some regions of the planet were once drenched in water.

Oct 19, 2004

In The Stars: A Tale Of Two Planets

Washington (UPI) Oct 15, 2004 - It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, as the storyline begins. Shifted to a planetary context, the classic Dickens phrase also can be applied to Earth and Mars.

Oct 15, 2004

NMSU Researchers Helping NASA Develop Systems To Transmit Data From Mars

Las Cruces NM (SPX) Oct 15, 2004 - Two Mars Exploration Rovers are currently giving the public a taste of the information that can be sent back from the surface of Mars. Future expeditions to Mars are expected to gather even more information - and require more sophisticated technology to send this information back to Earth.

Oct 15, 2004

An Opportunity To Work Towards ‘Wopmay’

Pasadena CA (DSPX) Oct 14, 2004 - Opportunity is in excellent health. The current pattern is to use the deep-sleep mode every second night, and to support an early morning Odyssey communications pass on the non-deep-sleep nights.

Oct 14, 2004