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Originally Posted by jaki
Could anyone tell me what Nasa or Esa have planned for the next step in the exploration of Mars, and also i read about a sample/return mission and i was wondering when that would be happening.
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From NASA, next up is the Mars Reconnaissance Oribter, to be launched in August '05.
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NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scheduled for launch in 2005, will be equipped with cameras to zoom in for extreme close-up photography of the martian surface, carry a sounder to find subsurface water and look for safe and scientifically worthy landing sites for future exploration.
Equipped with the most powerful camera ever flown on a planetary exploration mission, the Reconnaissance Orbiter will home in on details of martian terrain with extraordinary clarity. While previous cameras on other Mars orbiters were asked to identify objects no smaller than a dinner table, this camera will be able to spot something as small as a dinner plate.
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A sample return mission, according to NASA, could be launched no earlier than 2014. Go
here for all NASA's future missions. (look in
Beyond 2009 for sample return info.)
02-September-2004, 03:38 PM
Future Mars Missions
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