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Phoenix finds Ice

WORFWORF The Burninator
in Zocalo v2.0
A very interesting discovery.

[URL="http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/06/20/phoenix.mars.ap/index.html"]Link[/URL]

Comments

  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    The funny thing is, they figured it out by comparing "before" and "after" pictures of the hole they dug with the robotic arm. :D

    So much for baking a soil sample and analyzing it with some sophisticated piece of equipment....

    According to their findings, since the white stuff appears to have evaporated, it must be ice.

    They could have saved a lot of money and get more conclusive evidence by adding more robotic arms. :D
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    Excellent, that should make it easier to send a manned expedition to Mars if they don't have to haul everything there. They'll still need to establish the extent of the ice and demonstrate a viable method of extracting it, but it's a good start! :)
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    [QUOTE=Stingray;173894]The funny thing is, they figured it out by comparing "before" and "after" pictures of the hole they dug with the robotic arm. :D

    So much for baking a soil sample and analyzing it with some sophisticated piece of equipment....

    According to their findings, since the white stuff appears to have evaporated, it must be ice.

    They could have saved a lot of money and get more conclusive evidence by adding more robotic arms. :D[/QUOTE]

    The probe is meant to do a lot more than just look for ice, hence the oven. For a start, how else are you going to make Mars Muffins if you don't have an oven? There's also no way to know what's in the ice without the oven.
  • Vorlons in my HeadVorlons in my Head The Vorlons told me to.
    [QUOTE=ShadowDancer;173895]Excellent, that should make it easier to send a manned expedition to Mars if they don't have to haul everything there. They'll still need to establish the extent of the ice and demonstrate a viable method of extracting it, but it's a good start! :)[/QUOTE]
    It might just be me, but if I was a crew member on that first mission to mars, I'd like all the supplies needed for the entire mission to be carried. You know just in case it actually can't be used. :D
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    That's what the probes are for. To find out if it can be used.

    Well, actually to look for an environment suitable for life to develop, but knowing what the ice is and if it can be used (and what is necessary to use it, e.g. filters) is a nice side effect. :)

    Having said that, though, I think it's more likely that ice at the poles would be used by a (semi-)permanant base rather than a temporary expedition, due to the difficulties in getting it and its location on the planet. Something akin to how it's used in [i]Red Mars[/i].
  • MessiahMessiah Failed Experiment
    They only say that its Ice, not that its water, But I guess it can be guessed from the temperature..
  • ChaosedChaosed Ranger
    It says frozen watter.
  • HuntSmackerHuntSmacker Firstones Ambassador to Starcraftia
    I'll break out the Cola.
  • ChaosedChaosed Ranger
    Marsy cola taste funny.
  • MessiahMessiah Failed Experiment
    [QUOTE=Chaosed;173939]It says frozen watter.[/QUOTE]

    Ah, missed it..
  • ChaosedChaosed Ranger
    I dodged the methane bath then. :)
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    No we've still got that running in the back for you! :p
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    Ok, so now what? Martian snow cones? :D
  • PSI-KILLERPSI-KILLER Needs help
    Time for snow cones, i will have cherry
  • MelkorMelkor Elite Ranger
    Would that mean the not so great machine is on mars then?
  • ChaosedChaosed Ranger
    If the not so great machine was moved to Epsilon III and it is some big percent of the planet, is Mars hollow?
  • PJHPJH The Lovely Thing
    There must be watercoolers in Mars. A secret martian watercooler fleet. :p

    - PJH
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    [URL="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080626/ap_on_sc/phoenix_mars;_ylt=ArFeyum5TZ7plOF7zK3a6m6s0NUE"] Mars lander finds soil to be good enough to grow turnips[/URL]

    I hope you like your veggies. :D
  • FreejackFreejack Jake the Not-so-Wise
    It just going to be really expensive to bring along all the manure that is needed....

    Jake
  • croxiscroxis I am the walrus
    I just got the jpl newsletter. Basically the first wet chem experiment on Mars found alkaline soils with a great number of salts and nutrients. The salts make an even stronger case for mars, and the nutrients increase the likelihood for life. The presence of nutrients is a very profound discovery.
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    [QUOTE]
    [URL="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_on_sc/phoenix_mars;_ylt=AnPuexu9U5s73UHpsCxSkces0NUE"]"We've now finally touched it and tasted it,"[/URL] William Boynton of the University of Arizona said during a news conference in Tucson on Thursday. "From my standpoint, it tastes like 8$4!#."
    [/QUOTE]

    Well, that's not what he said, but still. If everything else fails, fake it. :D
  • Entil'ZhaEntil'Zha I see famous people
    Breaking News, Phoenix discovers that mars is not actually a planet, but a huge Gumball!
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