TINY PIECES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MARS LANDING
In a little over a week, the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity will land in Gale Crater on the surface of Mars.
The wonderfully innovative -- and frighteningly complicated -- "Sky Crane" will deliver the rover to the surface. It's a complicated entry descent and landing (EDL) profile during which one small failure could have big consequences. | 7-12-2012 | Space Exploration | NEWS.DISCOVERY.COM |
Is SETI at risk of downloading a malicious virus from outer space?We take it for granted that the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) is a safe endeavor. Seriously, what could possibly go incorrect with passively searching for interstellar radio signals? Unfortunately, the answer is fairly a lot –- especially if the incoming signal consists of something malicious, like a pc virus or Trojan horse.
And according to the professionals, this is not just idle speculation – the threat is quite actual. So, just how concerned do we require to be? | 7-18-2012 | Space Exploration | |