mars mission

the following probes to Mars is not a NASA
Project? [A]Viking [B]Mars Global Surveyor [C]Mars Pathfinder [D]Mars Express
Mars 1960A & B (Soviet Union) First flyby missions launched in October 1960 by
Soviet Union. Ended in failure Mariner 9 (NASA) Launched in May 1971. Completed
the first successful orbit of Mars Mars 2 (Soviet Union) Became the first
spacecraft to make an impact landing on Mars in 1971 Viking (NASA) Mission with
two landers that made a successful touch down on Martian surface in 1976 Mars
Global Surveyor (NASA) Regarded as one of NASA’s most successful Mars
mission. Launched in 1996, it collected detailed data about Martian landscape Mars
Pathfinder (NASA) First of a series of missions that sent rovers to explore the red
planet Mars Exploration Rovers (NASA) Launched in 2003. Consists of 2 rovers,
Spirit and Opportunity. Of these, Opportunity is still operational Mars Express
(ESA) European Space Agency's orbiter that is currently exploring the planet









InSight Mission
InSight is a Mars lander mission planned for launch in 2016. The name stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport. Its mission is to place a stationary lander equipped with a seismometer and heat flow probe on the surface of Mars to study its early
geological evolution. This would bring new understanding of the
Solar System’s terrestrial planets — Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars —
and Earth’s moon. It is a low-risk, low-cost mission with significant
science implications across disciplines. InSight was initially known
as GEMS (Geophysical Monitoring Station), but changed its name in
early 2012 at the request of NASA. Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with participation from
scientists around the world, the mission is be cost-capped at US$425 million, not including launch vehicle funding.
InSight will place a single stationary lander on Mars to study its deep interior and address a fundamental issue of planetary and solar system science: understanding the processes that shaped the rocky planets of the inner solar system (including Earth) more than four billion years ago
• Launch window: 8-27 March 2016
• Landing: 20 September 2016
• Destination: Flat equatorial plain
• Mission length: Two Earth years
• Cost: $425m cap (without rocket)







ISRO proposes to undertake Mars Mission in October-November, 2013
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
The ISRO has proposed to undertake a Mars Orbiter Mission in October-November, 2013. It will be India’s first step
towards exploring the planet Mars. The proposal is currently under examination for government approval.
The Mars spacecraft will be placed in an elliptical orbit around the red planet after a voyage of almost 300 days. During
the orbital life of the spacecraft around Mars, the on-board instruments will be used to carry on scientific experiments.
The aimed Mars Mission is meant to exhibit India’s technological capability to reach the Martian orbit to augment the
understanding of its atmosphere. It would also pave the way for future scientific exploratory missions in the solar
system.









NASA Curiosity rover touches Mars
A robot rover “Curiosity” launched by US space agency NASA successfully landed on Mars. The rover landed on Aeolis
Palus in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012.
What is Curiosity?
· It is a robot rover which is currently exploring Mars.
· Currently exploring Gale Crater, near the equator of Mars.
· It will examine whether Mars could have once supported life.
· It is Nuclear-powered
· Has mobile scientific laboratory
· It is part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission by the US
Goal of Mars Science Laboratory mission: To Analyse and investigate climate, geology of Mars and whether Mars
could ever have supported life, including investigation of the role of water.