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Almeria has just been declared the Spanish capital of gastronomy for the year 2019. It is also known worldwide for the variety of its landscapes, which have been the scene of the world's most famous gastronomy. countless films over the last seventy years. Of course, it is also more than famous for its beaches and its Muslim history, witnesses of some monuments still standing, such as the fortified Alcazaba which welcomes visitors from the entrance of the city. It even enjoys great scientific interest for the quality of its sky, kept permanently by the astronomical observatory Calar Alto in the Sierra de los Filabres. But what many do not know or do not value enough, is that the province also has a mineral wealth that makes it unique, both in Spain and in the world (and in the world). # 39; universe).
That is why it was chosen by the European Space Agency and the company Airbus as a test site for the prototype of Rover to be sent to Mars in 2020, as part of the mission ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) . In Hypertextual we had the opportunity to go to the depths of the desert of Almeria where the scientists and engineers responsible for the project had already completed the last tests . the robot The results for the moment have been more than successful, as evidenced by the contagious enthusiasm of the parents of this mission, through which the human being will take a giant step in the study of the mysterious goes and coming from the red planet.
Single robot
A mobile is a spacecraft designed to move on the surface of a planet or other celestial body . Since the late 1960s, a large number of these robots have been launched in space, some having more success than others. However, the one that has been tested so far in Almería presents a series of features that make it a unique tool for the exploration of Mars.
As explained in Hypertext [Hypertext]. 19659007] Fernando Rull Professor in the Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Mineralogy and Crystallography of the University of Valladolid and Principal Investigator of the Instrument of Raman this vehicle being in contrast to two other main factors: its ability to extract samples from the subsoil and its badysis.
. information available so far for scientists, if there is life on Mars, it must be found under the surface of the planet . Therefore, this rover has a borer able to extract samples at two meters deep which are then ground into a very fine scale microscopic. Once formed, this powder is badyzed by three instruments located inside the vehicle: the infrared spectrometer the Raman spectrometer and the MOMA . which badyzes the samples by laser mbad spectroscopy and gas chromatography. All these tools will collaborate with each other to study the samples, looking for organic matter or any indication of current or past biogenic activity .
But until this point, other previous steps are needed, the trial went perfectly smoothly. First, it is necessary to recognize the territory . For this, the Rover has a series of panoramic cameras and a proximity microscope that recognizes rocks in search of interesting signals to be badyzed . In addition, it has a Penetration Radar that carries maps of the basement to find out where it should be drilled. All these data are sent to the European Center for Telecommunications and Space Applications (ECSAT) in the United Kingdom, which scientists decide to drill or not. If the verdict is finally positive, samples are taken every fifty centimeters .
During tests carried out in the Almeria desert, the vehicle used all this instrumentation to recognize the terrain in search of outcrops . rocks and other drillable areas. As will happen on Mars, the robot sent the terrain reconnaissance data to ECSAT, although in this case they were also validated in parallel with the notes taken in situ by the geologist of the Open University. Susanne Schwenzer . Thus, it was possible to verify that the information extracted by the Rover is completely reliable.
Almería, a piece of Mars on Earth
First of all, as you pointed out. medium Fernando Rull it must be taken into account that Mars and the Earth are two totally different planets, so that we can not say that any terrestrial region is "equal" to the red planet . However, it is possible to search for similar areas, with characteristics that make them good test fields for missions aiming to achieve them. In this case, Almería is undoubtedly one of the best options.
Indeed, its morphology as well as its geological and mineralogical processes are very similar to those of the Martian environment. In addition, Almeria was the first place where was discovered the jarosite a mineral whose formation is related to the presence of water, also detected on Mars in 2004. But the jarosite is not the the only factor that makes this city in south-east Spain so interesting for projects like this one. They are also part of your territory, such as plasters, caves and in general all the processes of mineral formation. Therefore, Rull is very clear:
"The geological variety of Almeria is very special and deserves greater value."
He also fully subscribed to his statements by Susanne Schwenzer . considers that the landscapes of this region of Almeria are suitable for such missions.
Next destination: Chile
To carry out this project, it was necessary to select two Martian badogs the team will therefore go to the Atacama Desert, Chile.
"By Christmas, we will have to draw conclusions from everything that happened in Almería to know what we should correct or improve ," Rull explained. "Then we will perform the second test in the Atacama Desert in Chile."
This desert is much drier than the desert and reaches precipitation every year. in certain areas. In Almeria, the rain has prevented them from working for a few days and it is highly likely that they will not have this problem. As for the mineral variety of this Chilean landscape, it is not as big as that of the Almeria desert, although it has certain advantages. For example, at altitude its atmosphere is cleaner so that clearer images can be obtained with the help of panoramic cameras .
A mission to learn more about the red planet
The objective The main purpose of this mission will be to find a trace of life on Mars . However, this is not his only goal, since he also intends to know more about his mineralogy and to improve the established models of his geological processes . This is why it is so important that the rover can extract samples from the subsoil and reduce them to dust, the composition of which can be studied more easily.
Hopefully, and for the moment, the launch will take place in 2020 . Therefore, this could coincide with the NASA mission of March 2020 which will also lead a rover to the surface of Mars. In this case, it was the first time that two vehicles of these characteristics coincided on the Martian lands. This disadvantage, and not a disadvantage, could become a considerable advantage, since scientists from both space agencies will have different data, which can be shared to reach common conclusions. Collaboration among researchers has been at the root of many milestones in the history of science. And what these scientists propose can be incredibly big.
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