| Space
Odyssey exhibit
The ultimate resource is the Mars Outpost and Candor Chasma diorama
in the Space Odyssey
exhibit at the Museum!
DVD
Mars: The Red Planet, by DVD International,
is available at the Museum Shop.
Books and Articles
Visit the Museum Shop for these Mars books and more!
- The Smithsonian Book of Mars, by Joseph
M. Boyce
- Mars: Uncovering the Secrets of the Red Planet,
by Paul Raeburn
- The Planet Mars: A History of Observation and
Discovery, by William Sheehan
- “Unraveling
the Mysteries of Mars (PDF: 2.1MB),” by Dr. Steven
Lee. Requires the free PDF
viewer to read.
Mars Exploration Rover Model On Display
A Mars Exploration Rover model is on display in the Central Atrium of the Museum. It looks almost identical to the two originals, "Spirit" and "Opportunity," which successfully landed on Mars in January 2004.
The Mars-bound rovers will explore two different locations, searching for signs of ancient water in the rocks and soil. Each weighs roughly 400 pounds and carries a sophisticated set of scientific instruments, including spectrometers to analyze the composition of the planet.
The Museum's version, created by Scale Model Company of Hawthorne, Calif., is made to look authentic. By using original materials whenever possible and by creating movable parts, the model maker went to great lengths to mimic the real Mars Exploration Rovers.
Related Links
Explore Mars
Now
Explore a hypothetical Mars base of the future with the click of a mouse.
This interactive program lets you move through the base to explore all
of its features, inside and out.
Mars
Exploration Program
This NASA program began in 1965 and has plans to continue well into
the 21st century. Learn about the program’s history, technology,
and future missions at this comprehensive site.
Malin
Space Science Systems
View the surface of Mars from an archive of Mars Global Surveyor Mars
Orbiter Camera images.
Educational
activities
Educators, incorporate Mars into your science curriculum with these
activities from the Lunar and Planetary Institute.
2001 Mars
Odyssey
Mars Odyssey launched in April 2001 to achieve four goals: to determine
whether there was ever life on Mars, characterize Mars’s climate
and geology, and prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. Follow
this mission, which is underway until August 2004.
Mars Exploration
Rover Mission
Two Mars rovers, launched into space in the summer of 2003, will land
on Mars in January 2004. Explore the mission, technology, and progress
of the rovers on this NASA Web site.
Top
ten Mars pictures of all time
From the first map of the Red Planet to the famous face on Mars and
first rover landing, these ten pictures document humankind’s exploration
of our neighboring planet.
Mars
Watch
Locate Mars in the night sky with maps, tips on how to observe, and
lots of great Mars pictures.
SETI
Learn about the search for extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe
and see how you can participate.
Astrobiology.com
What is astrobiology and how will it help in the search for life in
the universe? Find out at this site filled with interesting information
about this branch of life science. |
