January 15, 2004

Newsfeed: Michael Smutko

[audio: Michael Smutko on "Landing on Mars"]

Michael Smutko, lecturer of physics and astronomy, discusses the latest Mars mission

Michael Smutko

A successful landing on Mars has enabled a space rover to beam pictures of the planet’s surface back to Earth for the first time in seven years. Smutko says this mission holds much significance.

These rovers carry the most advanced scientific equipment that has ever been sent to Mars. They should be able to provide answers to scientists’ questions about Martian geology, meteorology, history and evolution. And, of course, the thing that’s probably highest on a lot of people’s minds: Is there any evidence of life on the surface of Mars?

Smutko says the trip may answer some other important questions about Mars.

There is evidence that there used to be a lot of water on Mars. So one of the big questions is: Where did all the water go? It’s hoped that these probes, and others like them, will shed some light on the planet’s past and maybe we’ll see if there’s a connection to the future of Earth.

According to Smutko, this mission could potentially pave the way for human trips to Mars.

Obviously sending a lander like these robots is much cheaper and much quicker than preparing a manned space mission to Mars, but there are many things humans can do that rovers will never be able to do. You’ll need an actual person on Mars to ultimately make a comprehensive study of the surface. NASA engineers say that the technology exists right now to send astronauts to Mars, not that we could leave next week, but we could begin planning missions today if the funding and the national will could be found.

Smutko believes the Mars mission will help improve morale at NASA.

This mission has progressed spectacularly well. I think it’s better than even the most optimistic people had hoped for. The landing seemed to go pretty much flawlessly. The lander seems to have come within six miles of its target landing spot. Considering it traveled three million miles, to come within six miles of your target is pretty amazing to me. All the scientific equipment seems to be working. The antennae and everything are working, so we’ll be getting images and scientific data back from Mars that humans have never seen before.

— Samira Puskar