Mars 'Life Detection' Kit Launched into Space
Scientists and engineers are hoping that the life-sensing chip will remain viable in the harsh radiation, temperatures and vacuum of space during a journey to Mars. The kit is designed to detect trace levels of biomarkers, which should be able to reveal if life currently is, or ever was, present on Mars.
"This will be the first time that these types of materials will have flown unprotected in space in a manner similar to a flight to Mars," said Andrew Steele, a molecular biologist at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C.
2 comments:
Geez. I almost thought the Euros had beaten us to Mars with some life-sensing tech. Actally:
"The experiment works similarly to a pregnancy test that uses color-changing chemicals to pick up traces of hormones found in greater numbers after conception. Scientists will examine the LMC's samples once the Foton-M3 mission returns to Earth on Sept. 25 near the Russia-Kazakhstan border to see if they remained viable after their time in space."
So, it's just an orbital test. It won't go to Mars until 2013 on a European Mars mission which will have this chip or equivalent on a rover. Our polar mission will be there long before that. Not that it really matters who finds life on Mars first. Assuming it's there, at least on a microbial level.
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товары народного потребления
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