Happy Birthday Curiosity , Three years of discovery

August 6, 2012 anyone with an interest in Mars waited with baited breath for news of success or failure for the daring arrival of Curiosity to the Martian surface , thankfully NASA's rover landed in style and has gone on to give us the best indication yet that Mars was likely a home to life early in its history.

3 years on and with much science under it's belt we're now climbing the foothills of Mt Sharp and enjoying some of the best pictures sent back from the Martian surface yet.
Great job NASA and Happy Birthday Curiosity.

mars.nasa.gov...

That's awesome!

I am not sure how accurate this is, but didn't they only expect it to remain functional for just a few weeks?

It's great it has lasted so long.

a reply to: ArnoldNonymous

The Curiosity rover mission was originally scheduled for two years but as seen with Opportunity rover who's main mission was planned to last 90 sols is now over 11 years on Mars , these things can and do exceed their warranty.

Sadly Spirit rover wasn't so lucky , hopefully Curiosity doesn't get stuck up Mt Sharp.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: ArnoldNonymous

The Curiosity rover mission was originally scheduled for two years but as seen with Opportunity rover who's main mission was planned to last 90 sols is now over 11 years on Mars , these things can and do exceed their warranty.

Sadly Spirit rover wasn't so lucky , hopefully Curiosity doesn't get stuck up Mt Sharp.

Yes -- the "Nominal Mission" for Curiosity was 2 years. "Nominal Mission" means (1) enough time to gather the minimal data it "hoped" to be able to gather, plus (2) what is funded in the original budget allocation for the program.

However, the RTG power source on Curiosity will last at least 14 years, and probably much longer than that. As long as they feel the need to continue funding the mission (paying the mission controllers, paying for "turning on the lights" in mission control, paying the scientists who help interpret the data, etc.), Curiosity could conceivably keep doing science for 20+ years.

a reply to: gortex

has gone on to give us the best indication yet that Mars was likely a home to life early in its history.

Huh?? Did I miss something? Oh, you mean the rocks we keep finding....

a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

Huh?? Did I miss something?

Obviously.

NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover has found another hint that there may once have been life on Mars – biologically useful nitrogen in dust and rock samples.

research from Louisiana State University points to potential source of energy for life on Mars: carbon monoxide.
The paper suggests that carbon monoxide, which is found in "relatively high concentrations" in Mars' atmosphere, could be used as a "significant energy source" for microbes on or near the surface. "Of course, it must be noted that the persistence of extant microbial populations, if any exist, or populations transplanted in the future, depends on factors other than energy substrates," the paper notes. Nonetheless, it suggests that additional work could be put into determining just how conducive Mars may have been to microbial growth in this manner at an earlier point in its history.
www.theverge.com...

By drilling into Martian rocks, Curiosity found evidence of nitrates, compounds containing nitrogen that can be used by living organisms.

The Curiosity team has already found evidence that other ingredients needed for life, such as liquid water and organic matter, once existed at the site known as Gale Crater.

“Finding a biochemically accessible form of nitrogen is more support for the ancient Martian environment at Gale Crater being habitable,” Jennifer Stern of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland said in a statement.
www.iol.co.za...

a reply to: gortex

hahaha....I thought you meant evidence...Not rock dust....Hell we could prove that anywhere guys! We already found inorganic matter on stuff floating around in space....Let's try harder....If I told you on Earth that we found dust that we reached the conclusion it was Jesus' remains, would you believe that? Nope, didn't think so...And that is here on Earth...Just because dust has Nitrates we are concluding now that there was life there? Oh my garsh

a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

You all want alien life so badly you will believe this garbage is leading to life on Mars.....Oh boy...Crickets

a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

We already found inorganic matter on stuff floating around in space....Let's try harder

They found organic compounds on Mars , Mars has an atmosphere space does not ,perhaps you should try harder to understand.

Just because dust has Nitrogen we are concluding now that there was life there? Oh my garsh

No , they are concluding that life COULD have existed on Mars , not hard to understand the difference really.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

We already found inorganic matter on stuff floating around in space....Let's try harder

The found organic compounds on Mars , perhaps you should try harder to understand.

Just because dust has Nitrogen we are concluding now that there was life there? Oh my garsh

No , they are concluding that life COULD have existed on Mars , not hard to understand the difference really.

Gortex....When do you know me to understand the difference? You guys ALWAYS want proof....This is NOT proof of anything at all....ZERO!!!

a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

Nobody is claiming proof of anything , it is however evidence that Mars had the conditions suitable for life in the past.
I believe based on what we know that Mars did start to evolve life but the evolution was cut short by the loss of it's magnetic shield and atmosphere , although Mars may still be home to life beneath it's surface but that's for future missions to explore.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

Nobody is claiming proof of anything , it is however evidence that Mars had the conditions suitable for life in the past.
I believe based on what we know that Mars did start to evolve life but the evolution was cut short by the loss of it's magnetic shield and atmosphere , although Mars may still be home to life beneath it's surface but that's for future missions to explore.

See that.....I love you buddy! Much better!

So basically, like I originally stated....Nevermind

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein
a reply to: gortex

has gone on to give us the best indication yet that Mars was likely a home to life early in its history.

Huh?? Did I miss something? Oh, you mean the rocks we keep finding....

As Gortex subsequently mentioned, there is evidence that life as we know it could have been viable on Mars in its early history, but (granted) that in itself is not evidence that life actually existed.

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein
a reply to: gortex

has gone on to give us the best indication yet that Mars was likely a home to life early in its history.

Huh?? Did I miss something? Oh, you mean the rocks we keep finding....

As Gortex subsequently mentioned, there is evidence that life as we know it could have been viable on Mars in its early history, but (granted) that in itself is not evidence that life actually existed.

So nitrates have nothing to do with Mars having an atmosphere at some point? Nope, could be humans....Oh it pains me to keep going here....

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein
a reply to: gortex

has gone on to give us the best indication yet that Mars was likely a home to life early in its history.

Huh?? Did I miss something? Oh, you mean the rocks we keep finding....

As Gortex subsequently mentioned, there is evidence that life as we know it could have been viable on Mars in its early history, but (granted) that in itself is not evidence that life actually existed.

So nitrates have nothing to do with Mars having an atmosphere at some point? Nope, could be humans....Oh it pains me to keep going here....

I don't understand what you mean by this response to my post.

All I'm saying is that evidence suggests that Mars may have once had the materials necessary to have been able to support life chemistry. I have no idea if life actually existed, but if it did, Mars seems to have had the ability to support that life.

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein

originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein
a reply to: gortex

has gone on to give us the best indication yet that Mars was likely a home to life early in its history.

Huh?? Did I miss something? Oh, you mean the rocks we keep finding....

As Gortex subsequently mentioned, there is evidence that life as we know it could have been viable on Mars in its early history, but (granted) that in itself is not evidence that life actually existed.

So nitrates have nothing to do with Mars having an atmosphere at some point? Nope, could be humans....Oh it pains me to keep going here....

I don't understand what you mean by this response to my post.

All I'm saying is that evidence suggests that Mars may have once had the materials necessary to have been able to support life chemistry. I have no idea if life actually existed, but if it did, Mars seems to have had the ability to support that life.

Oh sorry....I just meant it as a statement not a rebuttal....Coulda shoulda woulda....Satan could also ride a bike through my parking lot smoking a crack pipe.....Just remember that when you and the "could" crowd comes around again....

Simply a statement that nitrates PROVE only that there was an atmosphere at one point....Not life....

a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

You seem to be having a phantom argument with yourself instead of what the article (and subsequent posters) have been saying.

originally posted by: GetHyped
a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

You seem to be having a phantom argument with yourself instead of what the article (and subsequent posters) have been saying.

Haha....Nope just patronizing....Sorry other threads have me ramped up today

I agreed with my man Gortex....

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein
Simply a statement that nitrates PROVE only that there was an atmosphere at one point....Not life....

Mars still has an atmosphere today (with clouds and snow and vortices of swirling winds). However, that atmosphere today does not seem to be the type that could currently support life as we know it.

That atmosphere in the past seems like it was more likely to be able to support life -- but again, that doesn't mean that Mars necessarily had life.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

No it does not....Just means there will be nitrates there...Hence thread! Yay we did a full circle!

I guess the point is...A lot of excitement and time spent there to find out there is/was an atmosphere on Mars....Oh well, if you guys get excited about Nitrates it is what it is....