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The Quest for Mars: Scientific and Human Destiny?

James Garvin: April 2, 2003; Running Time: 01:33:50

About the Lecture

About the Lecture

NASA's present program of science-driver exploration of Mars involves an intensive robotic campaign of increasingly sophisticated missions. While funding for Mars exploration has increased dramatically, Garvin gives an overview of what to expect in the next decade with great hope that human beings will be the agents of the great discoveries about the Red Planet. He shows a brief animated film at 1:26:00 that shows how we may land on Mars, with an air bag delivery system for a Mars exploration land rover and exploratory aircraft as well. Simply put, this is a must-see 6-minute film.

Lecture Details

Location: 37-252

About the Speaker

James Garvin

Geoscientist/Topographic Remote Sensing specialist and Project Scientist, Earth System Science Pathfinder Project at NASA's GSFC, Geodynamics Branch, Lab for Terrestrial Physics

James Garvin spearheaded the strategy that led to the Mars Exploration Rovers, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Phoenix polar lander, and the Mars Science Laboratory. Garvin is currently developing a scientific mission to Venus to understand whether the planet was ever habitable. In addition, he is working with on an upcoming Hubble Space Telescope experiment focused on understanding the resources and history of the lunar surface. Garvin earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Brown University and an M.S. from Stanford University in Computer Sciences.