1. Explore Program Overview Explore is designed to engage children in space and planetary science in the library Free! Hands-on Flexible! Use in summer sessions, after-school programs, festivals, science days, family events…

2. Beyond Earth Online http://www.lpi.usra.edu/explore/beyondEarth/

3. Mars Inside and Out Online http://www.lpi.usra.edu/explore/mars/

4. Life on Mars? Online http://www.lpi.usra.edu/explore/LifeOnMars/

5. Protecting Life The Martian Challenge How would you protect your Martian?

6. Strange New Planet

7. How have scientists’ views of Mars changed over time? How have robotic spacecraft shaped these views? Could Mars support, or have supported, life? History of Mars Exploration

8. Historically, what percentage of missions to Mars have been successful? (n = 40) a) 15% b) 30% c) 45% d) 60% History of Mars Exploration

9. Historically, what percentage of missions to Mars have been successful? (n = 40) a) 15% b) 30% c) 45% d) 60% History of Mars Exploration

10. Given what we know about Mars today, what can we say about its current, and past, habitability? History of Mars Exploration

11. Given what we know about Mars today, what can we say about its current, and past, habitability? How does this view differ from our thoughts in the 1960s? History of Mars Exploration

12. From Galileo until the mid-1960s, scientists were restricted to ground-based observations of Mars What are its limitations? Early Exploration Galileo Galilei, 1564-1642

13. Let’s Observe!!

14. From Galileo until the mid-1960s, scientists were restricted to ground-based observations of Mars What are its limitations? Early Exploration Ground-based, telescopic view of Mars.

15. French author Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle wrote in 1686: “Mars has nothing curious that I know of; its days are not quite an hour longer than ours and its year’s the value of two of ours. It’s smaller than the Earth, it sees the Sun a little less large and bright than we see it; in sum, Mars isn’t worth the trouble stopping there.” From Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds Early Exploration

16. Percival Lowell interpreted “canali” to mean canals (artificial); mapped 437 “canals” in 917 sketches; took the idea of canals to the grave Early Exploration Percival Lowell, 1855-1916 Lowell’s Martian “canals”, pre-1914

17. Early Exploration “A third presence on Mars indicates a living world: vegetation. The evidence is in the blue-green areas and the changes in their appearance. Vegetation would present exactly the appearance shown…. The seasonal change that sweeps over them…shows both growth and decay….” - Earl C. Slipher, 1962 Seasonal changes on Mars affect the appearance of the planet.

18. Early exploration of Mars revealed it to be: Cold; temperatures at freezing or well below freezing Dynamic, at least regarding patterns on the surface; dust, vegetation, or both? Low atmospheric pressure; clouds Unsure about the atmospheric composition Arid Polar cap – What is it made of? No canals/intelligent life Early Exploration

19. How can we get a better look?

20. Let’s Observe!!

21. Took 22 pictures w/ a TV camera on July 14, 1965 Early Exploration Mariner 4 – Flyby, 1965 Images returned by Mariner 4 revealed a Martian landscape resembling the Moon more than the Earth.

22. Close approaches occurred July 31 (M6) & August 5 (M7), 1969 Early Exploration Mariner 6 & 7 – Flyby, 1969 Though they were more clear, images from Mariner 6 & 7 did little to change the Moon-like impression of Mars made by Mariner 4 images.

23. Flybys were great but revealed only a fraction of the surface of Mars M4, M6, M7 were all focused on the southern hemisphere Early Exploration

24. Early Spacecraft Exploration Mariner 4, 6, 7 How did the Mariner flybys advance scientific understanding of Mars? Mars looked more like the Moon; life far less likely (M4) Temperature range; south polar cap composed of CO 2 (M6,7) IMPORTANT: Mariner 4 only imaged ~1% of the surface of Mars, mostly in the southern hemisphere; Mariner 6 & 7, ~20% NO CANALS

25. Early Spacecraft Exploration Mariner 4, 6, 7 How did the Mariner flybys advance scientific understanding of Mars? Mars looked more like the Moon; life far less likely (M4) Temperature range; south polar cap composed of CO 2 (M6,7) IMPORTANT: Mariner 4 only imaged ~1% of the surface of Mars, mostly in the southern hemisphere; Mariner 6 & 7, ~20% NO CANALS

26. How can we get a better look?

27. Let’s Observe!!

28. Mariner 9 arrived at Mars on November 14, 1971 Early Exploration Mariner 9 – Orbiter, 1971 The Mariner 9 spacecraft was the first to orbit another planetary body. Mariner 9 arrived at Mars to find the surface hidden by a planetary-wide dust storm.

29. Early Exploration Mariner 9 - 1971 Once the dust cleared, Mariner 9 discovered numerous geologic features not seen by earlier missions.

30. Olympus Mons

31. Vallis Marineris

32. Early Exploration Mariner 9 How did Mariner 9 advance scientific understanding of Mars? Mars is more geologically diverse than had ever been presumed; Volcanoes! Evidence water once flowed on the surface, not in artificial canals, but natural river channels

33. Exploring Mars: The Inside Story Dr. Walter Kiefer, Lunar and Planetary Institute Explore Mars