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= THE MYSTERIES OF MARS Force base in Florida in late 1992, on a 337-day voyage to Mars. The Mars Observer initially is expected to arrive at Mars by 19 August 1993, and enter a long, elliptical orbit over the poles. By mid- December 1993 it should be ready to begin its two-year mapping of the sur- face of Mars. Unlike Viking, the Mars Observer will focus not on biology but on geology and climate. Thanks to the efforts of researchers like Richard Hoagland, the Mars Observer will remap certain areas where there are alleged artefacts. 6 Various unmanned missions to Mars in the 1960s and 1970s cleared Late in 1 992, fine A away all notions that Mars is capable of sustaining life as we know it. The i most important of these expeditions was undoubtedly the NASA Viking sent a new satellite to Mission of 1976. Controlled by NASA engineers at the Jet Propulsion Ts NASA Mars Observer was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Mars that hopefully, Laboratory back on Earth, two identical Viking spacecraft were launched ° on a ten-month journey through 440 million miles of space to finally orbit during the process of around the red planet. Each of the Vikings was an automated self-powered i i 1 laboratory capable of splitting up into an orbitor circling the planet, and a Its mapping, will lander that could soft-land on the alien world. While the orbitors were able resolve the acetal (ss of to explore and comprehensively photograph Mars from the sky, the landers h T d conducted soil and other experiments in preselected areas. As the latter the so-called Face on experiments were admitted by NASA scientists to be designed to prove the Mars absence of life in any form on Mars, their results may be discounted as being negatively biased from the start and thus probably worthless. Ironically, the first picture taken by a Viking lander was of the vehicle's own footpad! . . . PICTURES OF MARS In this articl e, Brian More than 50,000 pictures were, however, taken of the surface of the planet by the Viking orbitors. Now, some 17 years later, many have still to be view Crowley, co-author of i alone eal Some may nil see the light of day due to time ~~: ROMER eM Stalling cost constraints With its polar ice caps and other features, Mars remains more Earthlike than Return to Mars, any of the other planets in our solar system. However, at first glance, it is a A G freezingly cold, barren, crater-strewn and windswept world, just over half the CUM UT AMCCSUA Mo orton ome 4.280 miles in dlameter-Earth is 7926 reiles, ls daye ie that suggests there 24 hours 37 minutes long. Like Earth, Mars has seasonal changes. Clouds come and go and morning fog covers the floors of some major craters, but the may once have been atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide. Fierce dust storms rage, fanned by 300 Q ° ° miles-per-hour winds. The temperature starts at way below freezing, and sel- intelligent life on Mars. dom goes above it—although a polar ice caps are seen to siniogs and retreat seasonally. Some of the more breathtaking images of the surface of Mars include views of such imposing features as the Valles Marineris, the so-called Grand Canyon of Mars, the largest natural feature in our solar system, 250 miles across on average, and stretching from end to end some 3,100 miles, the distance from San Francisco to New York. Although Mars is now a dry, hot and dusty hell- hole of a planet, there is indisputable evidence of vast previous water flow that cut immense canyons, flowed around island features, and left still visible shore- lines. Possibly the most striking of all the singular natural formations on Mars More than 50,000 pictures were, however, taken of the surface of the planet by the Viking orbitors. Now, some 17 years later, many have still to be viewed, let alone analysed. Some may never see the light of day due to time and staffing cost constraints. With its polar ice caps and other features, Mars remains more Earthlike than any of the other planets in our solar system. However, at first glance, it is a freezingly cold, barren, crater-strewn and windswept world, just over half the size of Earth, some 4,230 miles in diameter—Earth is 7,926 miles. Its days are 24 hours 37 minutes long. Like Earth, Mars has seasonal changes. Clouds come and go and morning fog covers the floors of some major craters, but the atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide. Fierce dust storms rage, fanned by 300 miles-per-hour winds. The temperature starts at way below freezing, and sel- dom goes above it—although the polar ice caps are seen to advantage and retreat seasonally. Ne ee eee ee eee ee ee ee Some of the more breathtaking images of the surface of Mars include views of such imposing features as the Valles Marineris, the so-called Grand Canyon of Mars, the largest natural feature in our solar system, 250 miles across on average, and stretching from end to end some 3,100 miles, the distance from San Francisco to New York. Although Mars is now a dry, hot and dusty hell- hole of a planet, there is indisputable evidence of vast previous water flow that cut immense canyons, flowed around island features, and left still visible shore- lines. Possibly the most striking of all the singular natural formations on Mars 12¢NEXUS PICTURES OF MARS AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1993