Planetary Geology Spring 2017

Planetary Geology http://www.geo.utep.edu/pub/hurtado/planetary Assignments 30% Participation                     20% Final  Exam                     30%  Final Project 20% When, where, attendance, etc. Who’s who & contact information Web site and grading Text, notes, etc. Process… Discussion, assignments, quizzes… In-class participation… Final exam

In-class Discussion

Why Study The Planets? Challenger disaster: Jan 28, 1986 - 7 crew members lost Columbia disaster: Feb 2, 2003 - 7 crew members lost

Why Not Study The Planets? Challenger disaster: Jan 28, 1986 - 7 crew members lost Columbia disaster: Feb 2, 2003 - 7 crew members lost

Why Study The Planets? Risky Challenger disaster: Jan 28, 1986 - 7 crew members lost Columbia disaster: Feb 2, 2003 - 7 crew members lost

Why Study The Planets? Risky Expensive… ~ BILLION$ Source: National Academies, 2008

Why Study The Planets? Risky Expensive Boring (even NASA said so) “…Moon is …scientifically uninteresting”, Ed Weiler (2001)

Why Study The Planets? Risky Expensive Boring Irrelevant South-East Asia Tsunami from Sumatra earthquake, December 2004 Hurricane Katrina September 2005

Why Study The Planets? Risky Expensive Boring Irrelevant Complicated

Risks of space exploration PEOPLE: 21 astronauts & cosmonauts killed since 1967 18,000 DUI-related deaths in US annually MONEY: e.g., NASA & Mars exploration…. Mars Observer ($900m) Mars Climate Orbiter ($125m) Mars Polar Lander ($165m) ENVIRONMENT: nuclear power, rockets, etc. 11,000,000 gallons crude oil from EXXON Valdez, March 1989, spread 500 miles. Clean-up: 3 yrs, $2.1b 2010 BP oil spill…

Cost ($s) of space exploration MISSIONS: Apollo $28b (total, 2006 dollars) Space Shuttle $145b (total, 2006 dollars) Constellation** $20b++ (2004-2024) Golden Spike $2b per mission (2018-) Compare: Hollywood’s “Waterworld” at $200m (December, 1997) Global war on terrorism: up to $1.8 trillion (2001-19)

Irrelevant / Too Complicated? Geopolitics Practical developments Technological developments Learning about other planets helps us understand the Earth Venus and greenhouse gases Mars, Europa and studying life in extreme terrestrial environments

Boring space exploration….? STS: 1980-2010 Mercury, Gemini, Apollo: 1959 - 1975 Magellan: 1989-1994 Galileo: 1989-2003 Cassini: 1997-now MER, MSL, 2003-now Phoenix, 2009 LRO-LCROSS, 2009 SpaceShip2, 2014

Boring space exploration….? Mars Exploration Rovers Mars Science Laboratory: January 2004 -> present This image mosaic taken by the panoramic camera onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rover's landing site, the Columbia Memorial Station, at Gusev Crater, Mars. This spectacular view may encapsulate Spirit's entire journey, from lander to its possible final destination toward the east hills. On its way, the rover will travel 250 meters (820 feet) northeast to a large crater approximately 200 meters (660 feet) across, the ridge of which can be seen to the left of this image. To the right are the east hills, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) away from the lander. The picture was taken on the 16th martian day, or sol, of the mission (Jan. 18/19, 2004). A portion of Spirit's solar panels appear in the foreground. Data from the panoramic camera's green, blue and infrared filters were combined to create this approximate true color image. MER Opportunity - traveling 722 feet (220 m) (March 20, 2005) -- today at 4 miles each

Boring space exploration….? Mars Express: NOW Cassini-Huygens: NOW MESSENGER: NOW

Boring space exploration….?

Why Study The Planets? Challenger disaster: Jan 28, 1986 - 7 crew members lost Columbia disaster: Feb 2, 2003 - 7 crew members lost

2. Appreciate science and planetary exploration Goals of This Class 1. Understand Earth (its place & processes) better by learning about the solar system as a whole How to distinguish fact from fiction? “Moon Hoax”, Face on Mars, etc Bona fide observations and their limitations