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NASA's March 2020 rover receives rockstar treatment.
Hundreds of scientists, astronomers and Mars enthusiasts gathered in California to compete for the best location for NASA 's next red ground rover, which experts say will "set the stage" for the next decade. exploration.
The mission will not only search for once-living land and traces of past life, it may also be the first step in bringing soil and rock samples back to Earth. The ambitious goal makes the choice of the landing place the most valuable scientifically, according to scientists.
"This allows the entire scientific community to discuss the best place to go and the important scientific questions that can be addressed on this site," Dr. Matt Golombek, a scientist at the site, told Post Office. landing of the Mars exploration program. "In a way, it's the most detailed discussion about things you really believe in."
The three-day conference, which began Wednesday in Glendale, is the fourth and last in a series of debates and deliberations that began in 2014. Scientists from dozens of areas of study have come together to beat on behalf of what they consider to be the optimal place. .
"The Mars 2020 landing site could pave the way for Mars exploration for the next decade," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate director of the science mission's leadership at NASA's headquarters, in a statement. a statement. "Once returned to Earth, these samples will likely become the most analyzed soil samples in history."
Golombek explained that the 2020 mobile was similar to Curiosity, both in size (small car) and in functionality. However, when Curiosity is equipped with an internal science lab, rover 2020 will have a cache and sample collection system, making it one of NASA's most promising missions.
The 2020 rover will collect samples of soil and rock, seal them in small test tubes and disperse them on Mars for subsequent missions to pick up and, if possible, return to Earth.
The first conference began with 30 potential landing points that were then imaged from one orbit and reduced to eight. These eight points were then visualized in more detail and reduced to three: Columbia Hills, Jezero Crater and Northeast Syrtis.
Before the start of this week's conference, another additional spot, named "Midway", located between Jezero Crater and the north-east of Syrtis, was added to the list of finalists.
Two of the sites are known as ancient basement complexes, where the oldest rocks of Mars have been discovered. It is thought that the third point has already been a permanent water plan and that the fourth contains several deposits considered to have an "astrobiological significance".
Scientists are responsible for selecting the place that was considered habitable and that still retains evidence of its livability.
"I've attended all the workshops so far, and none have been disappointed in smart defense and lively debate," said Ken Farley, scientific lead for the Mars 2020 project at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. . "The passion of the participants shows how much they are interested in the exploration of Mars. They know that they play a key role in the process and that they know how important the landing site will be for March 2020. "
Golombek predicts that "three or four" missions will be needed after the 2020 rover to bring the samples back to Earth.
The official selection for the landing should be announced by the end of the year. The March 2020 launch of the Cape Canaveral Air Base in July 2020 is scheduled to reach Mars by 2021.
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