Tag Archives: M2020

HiRISE digital terrain model for Jezero Crater candidate landing site

Posted on August 3, 2017 by rburnham

The HiRISE camera team has released a digital terrain model (DTM) for Jezero Crater, one of the candidate landing sites for NASA’s Mars 2020 rover. Information about HiRISE DTMs here; all available DTMs here.

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

A geological history of NE Syrtis Major

Posted on April 21, 2017 by rburnham

Brown University researchers have published the most detailed geological history to date for a region of Mars known as Northeast Syrtis Major, a spot high on NASA’s list of potential landing sites for its next Mars rover to be launched … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Mars 2020 rover landing site short list: Columbia Hills, Jezero Crater, Northeast Syrtis Major

Posted on February 13, 2017 by rburnham

Participants in a landing site workshop for NASA’s upcoming Mars 2020 mission have recommended three locations on the Red Planet for further evaluation. The three potential landing sites for NASA’s next Mars rover include Northeast Syrtis (a very ancient portion … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

MRO: Looking for landing sites

Posted on February 9, 2017 by rburnham

At an international workshop this week about where NASA’s next Mars rover should land, most of the information comes from a prolific spacecraft that’s been orbiting Mars since 2006. Observations by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provide the basis for … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

NASA’s $2.4-billion plan to steal a rock from Mars

Posted on January 19, 2017 by rburnham

Ed. note: The following is an except from a story in Nature; full story here. Adam Steltzner rose to engineering stardom in 2012, when NASA’s Curiosity rover plummeted to a perfect landing on Mars, thanks to a daring, fiery manoeuvre … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Seeking signs of life and more: NASA’s Mars 2020 rover mission

Posted on January 12, 2017 by rburnham

Ed. note: The following is an except from a story in Eos, published by the American Geophysical Union. Full story here. The next Mars rover will be able to land near rugged terrain, giving scientists access to diverse landscapes. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

NASA 2020 rover to get new lander vision system

Posted on October 4, 2016 by rburnham

NASA tested new “eyes” for its next Mars rover mission on a rocket built by Masten Space Systems in Mojave, California, thanks in part to NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program, or FOP. The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

THEMIS: Nili Fossae’s highlands

Posted on August 5, 2016 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 5, 2016. Today’s false color image shows some of the highlands between the multiple graben of Nili Fossae. The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Next Mars rover continues toward 2020 launch

Posted on July 15, 2016 by rburnham

After an extensive review process and passing a major development milestone, NASA is ready to proceed with final design and construction of its next Mars rover, currently targeted to launch in summer of 2020 and arrive on the Red Planet … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

NASA to discuss Mars 2020 rover on Facebook

Posted on July 14, 2016 by rburnham

NASA will host a Facebook Live event at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) Friday, July 15, to talk about the science and technology aboard NASA’s next Mars rover, Mars 2020, and the significant step the agency is taking on … Continue reading →

Posted in Reports | Tagged , , | Comments Off