Mars Manual

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ThisrapidlypacedbookprovidesafascinatinginsightintohowourunderstandingofMarshasdeveloped.

WhenaRenaissanceastronomerstudiedthemotionsofMarsinthesky,hediscoveredthelawsofplanetarymotion.Withtheadventofthetelescope,theplanetcouldbestudiedasaworldinitsownright,measuringthelengthofitsdayandmappingitssurfaceinevermoredetail.Lateinthe19thcentury,PercivalLowellintheUSAclaimedMarswascriss-crossedbycanalscreatedbyaraceofintelligentbeingstotransportwaterfrom
thepolaricecapstotheequatorialareas.AlthoughLowell'svisionofMarswasrejectedbyastronomers,itinspiredstorytellerstowriteclassicworksofsciencefiction.Bythemid-20thcentury,theconsensusviewwasthatlargetractsoftheplanethostedahardyformofvegetation.Giventhelimitationoftelescopes,theonlywaytobesurewastosendaprobe.

Theengagingtext,supportedbynumeroustechnicalillustrations,photographsandgraphics,relatesthechallengesandtechnicaltriumphofsendingspacevehiclestoMars,initiallyonflybymissions,thentoorbittheplanet,andmorerecentlytolandonit.

Marsisaworldofcontrasts.Muchofthesouthernhemisphereiscrateredhighlandsandmuchofthenorthernhemisphereisalow-lyingplainthatmightoncehaveheldanocean.TherearevolcanoesandcanyonsmuchlargerthanthoseonEarth,andbroadchannelscutbyvastfloods-allformedearlyintheplanet'shistory.Marshassufferedextremeclimatechange.Didlifedeveloptherewhentheplanetwaswarmandwet?Diditadapttothecurrentaridandcoldconditions?Welookedformicrobesinthesoilwithindeterminateresults.Soon,wehopetodrilltoseekevidenceofmicrobeslivingbeneaththesurface.TheimplicationsoffindinglifeonMarsareprofound,becauseiflifecandevelopindependentlyinseveralplacesinthesolarsystemthenitisprobablyubiquitousacrosstheuniverse.TheMarsOwners'WorkshopManualchroniclesthisstoryofdiscoveryandlooksforwardtothetimewhenwewilljoinourrobotsinexploringtheintriguingRedPlanet.