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Next rover to Mars in 2009
The Mars Scientific Laboratory (MSL) -- the next Rover to Planet Mars -- will be ready for launch by National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) in 2009, eminent scientist Dr Amitabha Ghosh, said on Sunday.
The Mars Scientific Laboratory (MSL) -- the next Rover to Planet Mars -- will be ready for launch by National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) in 2009, eminent scientist Dr Amitabha Ghosh, said on Sunday.
The preliminary work on the project has already begun and the MSL would be the third Rover to carry out several experiments on Mars, Ghosh, working on Mars pathfinder project at NASA, said on the sidelines of third 'Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas' function in Mumbai.
The first Mars Rover 'Opportunity' has completed one year on January four and the second Rover will be completing a year on January 24. "Both the missions are doing extremely well by showing clouds on the planet and spectacular sand dunes", he said.
Both the Rovers are driven long distances which have exceeded scientists' expectations, he added. "Right now we are studying the heat shield of the Rovers and the details would help us to improve the landing technology on Mars", Ghosh said.
"This study is important because the most dangerous part of going to Mars is not the journey but entry into the Martian atmosphere and therefore the temperature and air resistance factors will be studied in detail", he said.
