Curiosity's Mission on Mars: Exploring the Red Planet

Miller, Ron

ISBN 10: 1467710873 ISBN 13: 9781467710879

Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books, 2014

Synopsis

Could life have previously flourished on Mars? Will humans be able to travel there one day? Can humans one day colonize the red planet? NASA scientists have been interested in answering questions like these for a long time. In November 2011, NASA sent the rover Curiosity to Earth's nearest planetary neighbor. By gathering information about Mars's climate and geology, the robot is helping scientists uncover the secrets of the planet and its past.

Since its launch, Curiosity has made some amazing discoveries. The rover found an ancient streambed where water once flowed for thousands of years, and rock samples proved that the surface soil on Mars still has water! In addition, from drilling into Martian rock, the rover detected the key chemicals necessary for life―sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and carbon. And Curiosity's measurement of radiation on Mars shows levels similar to that at the International Space Station. These discoveries suggest that some parts of Mars could have been habitable―and may be again in the future.

Learn more about the red planet and see what else Curiosity has uncovered!

About this title

About the Author:

Ron Miller has worked as a freelance writer and illustrator for more than 30 years. Many of his illustrations appear in magazines like Astronomy and Scientific American. He has also worked on motion pictures and created postage stamps. (One of his stamps is attached to a spacecraft headed for the planet Pluto!) He has also written short stories and novels and has even created a comic book.

Review:

"Using clear presentations on glossy pages, this book introduces the reader to Curiosity, the NASA rover that is exploring Mars. It offers facts and issues about Curiosity's development and mission. Engaging yet minimal text is accompanied by supportive color graphics and pictures. It is informative and still easily read. This book would support your STEM collection for students studying our neighboring planet, the methods of scientific discovery or the technology of space crafts." ―Library Media Connection

(Journal)

"A brief overview of how Curiosity, the rover NASA sent to Mars in November 2011, is making amazing discoveries suggesting some parts of Mars may have been habitable―and could be again in the future.
Could life have previously flourished on Mars? Will humans be able to travel there and colonize the red planet? These are questions NASA scientists hope Curiosity will help answer and that Miller explores, covering the essentials. By gathering information about Mars' climate and geology, the rover is helping scientists uncover the secrets of the planet and its past. Curiosity has discovered an ancient streambed where water once flowed for thousands of years and analyzed rock samples proving that the surface soil on Mars still has water. Drilling into Martian rock, the rover has detected the key elements necessary for life―sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon. Curiosity's measurement of radiation on Mars shows levels similar to that at the International Space Station. All of this information, Miller explains, will help scientists decide if human travel to Mars is possible and colonization of the planet plausible. He also includes information on previous Mars missions and how the idea of life on the red planet has captured imaginations since the late 19th century.
An informative, useful look at a current and ongoing mission to explore our nearest neighbor in the solar system." ―Kirkus Reviews

(Journal)

4Q 3P J S

"In November 2011, NASA sent a robot to Mars. Curiosity was named by a sixth-grader from Kansas who, in her winning essay, wrote, 'Curiosity is the passion that drives us through our everyday lives.' The nearly two-thousand-pound unmanned rover traverses the Red Planet, collecting data from its seventeen cameras, rock abrasion tool, and mini laboratory, sending information back to Earth about soil, atmosphere, weather patterns, and topography. In September 2013, the moment scientists were waiting for happened: water was discovered on Mars.

"The Curiosity Mission is a success story on every level. NASA scientists had a goal, and with very few problems, it has been a resounding triumph, putting us well on the way to sending humans to Mars. Miller's book is well written and visually appealing, skimming the surface on a lot of the information but effectively covering the history and future of Mars exploration. Teens who are science-minded and want a more in-depth account of the Mars missions and discoveries will want to go elsewhere, but this volume should satisfy the curiosity of any nonscientific thinker and perhaps lead them to seek out more." ―VOYA

(Journal)

About this edition

• Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1467710873
• ISBN 13: 9781467710879
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 64