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Mars Science Laboratory

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

  • 210 Accesses

Synonyms

Curiosity; MSL

Definition

Mars Science Laboratory is a large instrumented vehicle (rover) built by NASA that landed on Mars in August 2012 (launched November 2011) and will operate for more than 1 Martian year (i.e., 2 Earth years). This rover, also called Curiosity, characterizes and interprets the geology of the landing region at all scales, assesses the biological potential of encountered targets, investigates planetary processes of relevance to past habitability, and characterizes radiation arriving at Mars’ surface. Aboard MSL, an analytical laboratory is especially devoted to atmospheric analysis and search for organics in the ground.

Overview

Ancient Martian history, from its formation up to about three billion years ago, looks close to Earth’s (Hadean-Archaean on Earth,Noachian-EarlyHesperian on Mars). We may then ask, was it possible for life to appear on Mars? One faces three possibilities: (a) life appeared and is extinct, but organic remnants or biominerals can be...

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References and Further Reading

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. LATMOS/IPSL B102/T45-46, Université Pierre et Marie Curie UPMC-Paris 6, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, Cedex 05 75252, France

    Michel Cabane

Authors
  1. Michel Cabane
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michel Cabane .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Cabane, M. (2014). Mars Science Laboratory. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1758-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1758-4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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