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Future
Flyers
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| Artist's
conception of an alternative plane design, by NASA/Ames.
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Though
NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin expressed enthusiasm for
a Mars airplane, there's no guarantee the Kitty Hawk glider
will be the chosen design.
In
fact, other teams of scientists are solving the problems associated
with flight on Mars in completely different ways, opting instead
for large, powered planes that could stay aloft for days on
end.
"The
right vehicle is very dependent on the mission," says Miralles.
"If you're targeting a large flat area, the vehicle would
have to be powered. Looking at the stratified wall of Valles
Marineris, you'd want a glider."
The data may also settle once and for all whether
liquid water ever flowed on the surface of Mars.
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Regardless
of what kind of plane eventually makes history over Mars,
Miralles and Calvin agree the mission will be well worth the
trip. As new pictures reveal regional geologic diversity,
any way scientists can obtain more data will be welcome.
"There are so many interesting thing to look at on Mars,"
says Miralles.
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Photos:
NASA/Ames Research Center
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