TORONTO, February 13, 2004 -- Science students from high schools across Greater Toronto will gather at York University next week to learn about the latest developments in Mars exploration directly from scientists working on upcoming missions.
Titled "Mars Day @ York U.," the event on Tuesday, Feb. 17 will feature presentations by members of NASA’s Phoenix mission to Mars, scheduled for launch in 2007. York’s mission scientists will join a host of Mars researchers who will describe the latest efforts to travel to the most earth-like planet in our solar system.
York University and Optech Incorporated are organizing the event that is sponsored by the Canadian Space Agency, MDRobotics and Optech. Together, this group helped mount the successful bid that resulted in Phoenix being chosen as the first of NASA’s Mars Scout missions.
Students will hear members of the Phoenix team, led by York Professor Emeritus Dr. Allan Carswell, explain details of the mission. Also described will be Canada’s role in developing the technology needed to analyze Mars’ atmosphere and look for signs of water to determine the past and present biological potential. Models of Martian atmospheric conditions developed at York’s Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science will help analyze the data that Phoenix will collect.
The program begins with a talk by a representative of the Canadian Space Agency who will outline Canada’s Mars exploration program. Other speakers will discuss the importance of orbiting satellites, the need for research into life-support systems for human travel to Mars, features of the planet’s surface and atmosphere, and Canadian research aimed at future missions.
The day will also feature a mini-trade exhibition with demonstrations of equipment and information on research being carried out by MDRobotics and Optech Incorporated, which are both prime contractors to the Canadian Space Agency for the Phoenix mission.
Members of the media will have an opportunity to interview speakers and see students interacting with on-site technology developed by exhibitors.
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For further information, please contact:
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David Fuller |
YU/024/04
