>>> I JUST SAW THE MOVIE LAST
WEEKEND.
I WAS JUST THRILLED TO SEE OUR
PATH FINDER CAMERA WAS ONE OF
THE STARS OF THE SHOW.
BECAUSE THIS BECOMES THE
COMMUNICATION PATH FOR MARS TO
THE EARTH.
RETRIEVING OF THE OLD PATH
FINDER SYSTEM.
POWERING IT UP AGAIN AFTER ALL
THESE YEARS AND THEN USING IT TO
COMMUNICATE BOTH PICTURES AND
DATA.
REALLY EXCITING TO SEE OUR
CAMERA USED THAT WAY.
>> SUSTAINING LIFE ON THE RED
PLANET.
WE'LL GO INSIDE THE MARS
GREENHOUSE.
>> SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRODUCE 50%
OF THE COLORS NEEDED BY AN
ASTRONAUT PER DAY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, COMPLETELY
RECYCLE OXYGEN, CARBON DIOXIDE
AND WATER.
>> THIS IS ARIZONA WEEK.
>> THE MARTIAN, A MOVIE ABOUT
MARS.
OUT JUST A FEW WEEKS IN THE
SCIENCE COMMUNITY IS CONSIDERED
TO BE ONE OF THE MOST REALISTIC
SPACE MOVIES OF ALL TIME.
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA,
SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
EARLY MARS EXPLORATION.
HERE'S THE PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATOR OF THE PHOENIX MARS
MISSION.
PETER SMITH, A PROFESSOR HERE AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA.
DESCRIBED TO US WHERE WE ARE
SITTING, CURRENTLY.
>> WE'RE SITTING ON THE MARS
GARDEN.
THIS IS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF ARIZONA'S FACILITY FOR
TESTING MARS CAMERAS.
WE BUILT IT HERE, THE PATH
FINDER CAMERA, THIS IS, IN 1995.
AND TESTED IT RIGHT IN THIS
SPACE.
AND IT'S BEEN MARS-LIKE EVER
SINCE.
>> TELL ME, WHAT IS YOUR
FASCINATION WITH MARS?
HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?
>> WHEN I WAS A CHILD READING
SCIENCE FICTION.
LIKE MOST SCIENTISTS, I WAS
FASCINATED WITH SCIENCE FICTION
AND EXPLOSIVES.
SO BOTH OF THEM CAME TOGETHER IN
THE IDEA OF EXPLORING MARS.
THE LAUNCH, THE LONG CRUISE, THE
LANDINGS AND THE EXTREMELY
BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES ON MARS.
WE'VE BEEN PUZZLING OVER FOR
YEARS.
>> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE MARS
TO PEOPLE?
>> IT'S A VERY DESOLATE PLACE.
UNLIKE THE EARTH, IT'S COVERED
IN CRATERS FROM THE ASTEROIDS
THAT HIT IT OVER THE LAST DAYS
AND YEARS.
THEY'RE STILL THERE BECAUSE
THERE'S VERY LITTLE RAIN.
PROBABLY NO RAIN AND MAYBE A
LITTLE SNOW AND THE EROSION
RATES ARE EXTREMELY SLOW.
SO IT'S A PLANET THAT HAD ITS
GLORY DAYS.
SEVERAL BILLION YEARS AGO AND
NOW IT'S KIND OF A DORMANT
PLACE.
>> HOW IS THE CLIMATE ON MARS?
>> MARS HAS A EXTREMELY THIN
ATMOSPHERE.
IN THE DAYTIME, IT MIGHT GET UP
TO 50 DEGREES AND AT NIGHT,
MINUS 150.
IT'S AN EXTREME CONDITION DAY TO
NIGHT EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT.
>> THE WIND STORMS, CAN YOU
EXPLAIN HOW THAT HAPPENS?
>> BECAUSE THE ATMOSPHERE IS SO
THIN, THE MARTIAN WAS A LITTLE
EXAGGERATED.
MAYBE A LOT EXAGGERATED.
THE AMOUNT OF AIR THAT'S
ACTUALLY MOVING PAST EVEN IN THE
STRONG WIND IS NOT ENOUGH TO
PICK UP AN ANTENNA AND THROW IT
INTO THE ASTRONAUT.
IT'S JUST NOT THAT STRONG.
>> YOU GET THE GO AHEAD TO DO
RESEARCH ON MARS.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE
KNOWING THAT WE CAN FINALLY
CHECK THIS PLACE OUT.
>> WELL, WE WERE THRILLED TO
HAVE A CHANCE TO BUILD A CAMERA
AND WE THOUGHT WE'D BUILT THE
BEST CAMERA WE POSSIBLY COULD
FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY
WERE GIVING US.
SO WE PUT IN SPECIAL FILTERS.
AND THE SPECIAL FILTERS ALLOWED
US TO DO THINGS WAY BEYOND A
NORMAL CAMERA.
AND FOR INSTANCE, ONE OF THESE
ROCKS HERE ON THE SURFACE, SEE
IT'S KIND OF GREENISH.
OUR CAMERA COULD HAVE PICKED
THIS UP LIKE A SEARCH LIGHT.
THIS IS ON THE EARTH, WE TRADE
FROM ROCKS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED
UP FROM 10 TO 12 MILES UNDER THE
SERVICE AND THESE ARE ROCKS THAT
MADE UP THE MANTLE OF THE
CONTINENT.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR THINGS
LIKE THIS.
CLUES WITHIN THE ROCK STRUCTURE
OF THE SURFACE.
IT WILL TELL US THE HISTORY OF
MARS.
JULY 4th, 1997.
THIS HAS BEEN A SMALL MISSION
FOR NASA AND NOT MUCH PUBLICITY.
SO WE HAPPEN TO LAND JULY 4th.
WHICH WASN'T EXACTLY AN
ACCIDENT.
WE KNEW WE'D LAND ON JULY 4th.
BUT NOBODY WAS TOO SURE WHETHER
WE'D SEE PICTURES THE FIRST DAY
OR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
IT WAS A SLOW NEWS DAY ON A
FRIDAY BEFORE THE JULY 4th
WEEKEND AND LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE
WATCHING TELEVISION ALL ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
WHEN WE CAME DOWN, BOUNCING ON
TO THE SURFACE AND THE PICTURES
STARTED TO COME BACK ONE BY ONE,
THERE WAS TREMENDOUS EXCITEMENT.
IT WENT WORLDWIDE.
>> PART OF THE REASON I INVITED
YOU ON TODAY IS THE MOVIE, THE
MARTIAN.
THIS IS INTRIGUING TO A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
YOU'VE KIND OF KNOWN THIS FOR A
REALLY LONG TIME ABOUT MARS.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST FASCINATED TO
FIND OUT ABOUT MARS?
>> I JUST SAW THE MOVIE LAST
WEEKEND.
AND I WAS JUST THRILLED TO SEE
THAT OUR PATH FINDER CAMERA WAS
ONE OF THE STARS OF THE SHOW
BECAUSE THIS BECOMES THE
COMMUNICATION PATH FOR MARS AND
THE EARTH.
RETRIEVING OF THE OLD PATH
FINDER SYSTEM.
POWERING IT UP AGAIN AFTER ALL
OF THESE YEARS.
AND THEN USING IT TO COMMUNICATE
BOTH PICTURES AND DATA.
REALLY EXCITING TO SEE OUR
CAMERA USED THAT WAY.
>> HOW BIG IS THE CAMERA?
I MEAN, YOU SEE IT IN HOLLYWOOD.
BUT --
>> WELL, WE USED TO SAY THE SIZE
OF A FOSTER BEER CAN, ABOUT THIS
BIG.
EIGHT INCHES ACROSS.
FOUR INCHES IN DIAMETER.
AND ALSO, IT HAS EYEBROWS.
SO THE REASON IS, WHEN IT LOOKS
STRAIGHT DOWN, THE EYEBROWS
PROTECT IT FROM ALL THE DUST.
THE SAME REASON WE HAVE EYEBROWS
AND EYELASHES WHEN IT'S DUSTY,
THE CAMERA HAS IT ALSO.
IT'S A HUMANOID TYPE OF CAMERA.
>> TELL ME WHAT SOME OF THESE
PICTURES HAVE SHOWN ABOUT MARS.
>> MARS IS KNOWN TO BE A ROCKY
PLACE.
WE GO THERE KNOWING YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE DUST AND ROCKS.
THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING
TO SEE.
NOW, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR
TRACES OF WATER ACTIVITY.
TRACES OF WATER ACTIVITY.
AND WATER BEING THE BASIS OF
LIFE ON THE EARTH.
ANYTHING THAT TELLS US ABOUT THE
HISTORY OF WATER WOULD BE VERY
EXCITING.
AND WE DID SEE SOME HINTS OF
THAT, NOT SO MUCH AT THE PATH
FINDER SITE AND THE NEXT MISSION
I WAS INVOLVED WITH, THE PHOENIX
MISSION, WE WERE ABLE TO DIG
UNDER THE SURFACE AND FIND ICE,
WATER ICE.
AND THIS IS EXCITING BECAUSE IT
TELLS US THAT WATER IS A VERY
COMMON INGREDIENT OF THE MARS
SURFACE.
IT'S JUST NOT RAINING UP THERE
AND MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF SOME
ICE OR VERY HEAVILY SALTED
WATER.
>> McCUE, PLANETARY GEOLOGY AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA AND
THE MARS RECONNOSANCE ORBITORS.
>> IT WAS IN A POSITIVE AND
REALISTIC MANNER, SCIENTISTS
HAVING A SENSE OF HUMOR.
WHO KNEW THAT WAS POSSIBLE FROM
HOLLYWOOD, RIGHT?
AND PERFECT JOB, GREAT SCENERY.
BEAUTIFUL STORY.
FEEL GOOD MOVIE.
IT WAS DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED
GOING TO SEE IT.
>> BEHIND YOU, WE HAVE SOME
PHOTOS OF WHAT THE IMAGES HAVE
BEEN SENT BACK.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HIGH-RISE.
>> SO HIGH-RISE IS THE HIGH
RESOLUTION IMAGING SCIENCE
EXPERIMENT.
IT'S A BIG CAMERA THAT WE SENT
TO MARS.
AND WE ACQUIRE IMAGES OF ABOUT
30 SENT METERS, ABOUT A FOOT PER
PIXEL ON THE GROUND.
THIS IS THE HIGHEST RESOLUTION
OF ANY OTHER PLANET, IMAGES HAVE
BEEN THERE FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS
NOW.
ACTUALLY.
WE ACQUIRE THESE HIGH RESOLUTION
IMAGES IN COLOR AND WE PICK OUT
TARGETS OF INTEREST BASED ON
VARIOUS RATIONALE FOR SCIENCE, A
BIG PURPOSE OF HIGH REZ AS WELL.
>> IT'S TRANSMITTING IMAGES
TODAY?
>> YES, HIGH-RISES IN BUSINESS
TODAY WILL GET NEW IMAGES EVERY
DAY.
>> WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF
WHEN YOU SEE THE IMAGES?
IT'S CAPTURING WHAT YOU WANTED
IT TO DO.
>> I LOVE EVERY HIGH REZ IMAGE.
IT'S REMARKABLE TO LOOK AT THEM
AND SEE THE SHARPNESS OF THE
FEATURES AND BETTER.
>> HOW MANY SPOTS EACH DAY?
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THAT?
>> IT'S A CIRCULAR ORBIT.
IT CIRCLES MARS 8.5 TIMES PER
DAY.
AND WE CAN TAKE TYPICALLY ONE OR
TWO PER ORBIT.
WE HAVE ACCESS WITH POINTING
WITHIN ABOUT A TWO WEEK PERIOD
OF ANYWHERE ON THE MARTIAN
SURFACE.
>> AND IS HIGH RES SHOWING YOU
ANYTHING THAT SURPRISED YOU OR
CAUGHT YOU OFF GUARD?
>> CERTAINLY A NUMBER OF THINGS
AND ONE PARTICULAR TOPIC WHICH
HAD QUITE A BIT OF ATTENTION A
COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ARE THESE
RECURING SLOPE.
THESE ARE DOWNSLOPES AND
ASSOCIATED WITH WATER IN SOME
WAY.
LIQUID WATER TODAY ON MARS.
THAT'S SURPRISING.
>> WITH ALL THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT
WATER ON MARS CAME OUT RECENTLY,
THAT WAS THE PHOTOS FOUND
SPOTTED HERE AT THE U OF A.
>> RIGHT.
THAT WAS ORIGINALLY WE
DISCOVERED THE FEATURES WITH THE
HIGH-RISE CAMERA.
THE MOST RECENT RESULT FROM THE
SPECTROMETER WITH THE
COMPOSITION.
>> HOW YOU DESCRIBE IT TO ME?
>> IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF A
PERSON.
SO THAT'S BIG FOR SOMETHING WE
SEND TO ANOTHER PLANET.
NOT BIG COMPARED TO WHAT THEY DO
IN THE MIRROR LABS ACROSS THE
WALL HERE, MUCH BIGGER
TELESCOPES.
>> YOU'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON
OTHER MISSIONS.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE
PROJECTS?
>> SURE.
I'M WORKING ON THE CAMERA FOR
THE NEXT MARS ORBITER.
AND THE CAMERA THERE.
THE CSSINI MISSION, GOT A FEW
YEARS LEFT.
AND THE ULOPA MISSION.
>> WHAT'S YOUR HOPE, CONTINUE
WHAT HIGH RES IS DOING?
>> SOME ARE TO CONTINUE
MISSIONS, MOST LOWER RESOLUTION
BUT MORE COLOR IMAGING AT
DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY.
THAT WILL BE UNIQUE.
FOR THE OPEN MISSION, A RANGE OF
RESOLUTIONS.
VARIOUS DURING THE CLOSE.
IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO HIGH-RISE
IMAGES OF EUROPA.
>> GOING BACK, IT WAS WELL DONE
IN THE MOST REALISTIC SPACE FILM
WE'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
MAYBE THE ONLY ONE WE'LL SEE.
DO YOU SUSPECT MAYBE THIS IS
GOOD FOR THE INDUSTRY, SO TO
SPEAK, WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA?
>> IT'S ALL GOOD, FOR SURE.
THIS WILL HELP PROMOTE INTEREST
IN SCIENCE AND MARS EXPLORATION.
IT MAY NOT TRANSFORM NASA OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S
GOOD.
>> WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU, DR. McQUAN.
NOW HOPE TO HAVE MANNED
EXPLORATION IN THE MID 2030s.
HOW AN ASTRONAUT WOULD SUSTAIN
LIFE IS BEING RESEARCHED HERE IN
TUCSON.
A SPACE ENGINEER TOOK US INSIDE
WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE MARS
GREENHOUSE.
>> IN THE FILM THE MARTIAN, WE
SEE THAT THE ASTRONAUT IS ABLE
TO MAKE WATER TO SUPPORT HIS
GREENHOUSE.
HOW LIKELY IS THAT?
>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT.
THEY'RE ABLE TO RECYCLE SOME.
INDEED, WE HAVE ONE COMPONENT
HERE.
CURRENTLY, ANALYZED AND TESTED
WITH A SEPARATE SYSTEM.
IT'S CALLED EVAPORATE COMPOSTER.
BASICALLY, A SYSTEM WHERE YOU
TAKE ALL THE WASTE INCLUDING
BIOMASS, RIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN
YOU HARVEST AND YOU TAKE YOUR
CROPS.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF INEDIBLE
BIOMASS.
IN THIS CASE, IT'S CONSIDERED
WASTE.
YOU CAN GO INSIDE, FOR EXAMPLE,
HUMAN WASTE IN A COMPOSTER AND
THE SYSTEM DIGESTS AND PROCESSES
THAT.
BASICALLY, TRANSFORM WHAT IS
CALLED BLACK WATER INTO GRAY
WATER.
USED FOR PLANTS IRRIGATION.
WITH NUTRIENTS, WE STREAM IT TO
THE PLANTS AND ALLOW THE
HYDROPONIC SYSTEM.
THE PLANTS ABSORB THE NUTRIENTS
AND THEY PERFORM WHAT THEY CALL
THE TRANSFORMATION.
BASICALLY, THE WATER VAPOR IN
THE ATMOSPHERE.
IF YOU HAVE A CONDENSER, YOU CAN
CONDENSE WATER.
THERE YOU HAVE COMPLETELY WHITE
WATER.
THEN YOU CAN USE IT.
SO THE PROCESS, THE WATER IS
STILL AND ONE OF THE BY-PRODUCTS
OF THE EXPERIMENT IS MEASURING
HOW MUCH WATER WE'RE ABLE TO
COLLECT, RIGHT?
AND MEASURE HOW MUCH WE'RE
PUTTING IN.
WE TRY TO ESTABLISH WHAT WE CALL
A WATER BALANCE.
>> THE PROTOTYPE FOR ONE OF THE
GREENHOUSES.
IF YOU WOULD START BY DESCRIBING
THE LIGHT SYSTEM IN HERE.
>> THE LIGHT SYSTEM IS AN
IMPORTANT SYSTEM BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, YOU NEED LIGHT AT A
CERTAIN LEVEL OF INTENSITY TO
GROW PLANTS.
IN THIS CONDITION.
SO CONVENTIONALLY FOR GREENHOUSE
APPLICATION, YOU USE SOMETHING
CALLED THE HIGH PRESSURE LENS.
EXTREMELY POWER HUNGRY, RIGHT?
AND HERE, EXPERIMENTING WITH A
DIFFERENT TYPE OF LIGHT SYSTEM
PROVIDED BY PHILLIPS, LED BASED.
SUPPOSED TO BE MUCH MORE
EFFICIENT AND OF COURSE, THIS
WOULD HELP US BECAUSE THE POWER
THAT YOU NEED TO GROW THIS
SYSTEM NEEDS TO COME FROM
SOMEWHERE.
AND USUALLY, MASS AND POWER ARE
EXTREMELY PRECIOUS COMMODICOMMO.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO EXPERIMENT
DIFFERENT LIGHT LEVELS.
AND THIS TYPE OF HARDWARE SO WE
FIND THE SOLUTION MINIMIZED
POWER.
>> NOW TELL ME ABOUT THE CROPS
THAT ARE IN HERE.
>> YEAH.
WE'VE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH
THE PARTICLE POSSESSION SYSTEM.
MULTI-CROP.
THEY GREW IN THE CLOSE LOOP
TESTING FOR GROWING IN THE
LIFE-SUPPORT AND GROWING ONE
CROP AT A TIME.
HERE, WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE ONE
TO ONE THAT WE CAN TRY TO PUT
DIFFERENT TYPE OF CROPS.
AND OUR GOAL, AS A MATTER OF
FACT, FOR ONE AND WE HAVE FOUR
LEFT IS THAT ONE UNIT CAN
SUPPORT ONE ASTRONAUT USING 50%
OF THE CALORIES PER DAY.
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, CLOSING
THE OXYGEN LOOP, THE WATER LOOP,
AND THE CARBON DIOXIDE LOOP.
BASICALLY, IT HELPS SUSTAIN.
BUT TO DO SO, YOU HAVE TO PUT
DIFFERENT CROPS TOGETHER.
FOR EXAMPLE, HERE, WE HAVE THE
SWEET POTATOES, RIGHT?
AND ONE OF OUR -- TO INCREASE
THE CALORIE OUTPUT.
GROW THE LETTUCE AND WE ALSO
HAVE, YOU KNOW, BED FIELD
STRAWBERRIES.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE NOT ON THE
POINT WHERE WE HAVE, WE'RE GOING
TO USE IT TO RECYCLE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CROPS AT
THIS POINT.
>> NO SOIL IN HERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS.
AND HERE, REALLY HAVE EXPERTS IN
HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS.
AND BASICALLY, WE COME UP WITH
THE CULTURE SYSTEM.
WHAT YOU SEE HERE, MORE
SPECIFICALLY, IS A SET OF
POCKETS, RIGHT?
AND INSIDE THE POCKETS,
BASICALLY WHAT YOU DO IS PUT THE
SEEDS AND USUALLY, PUT THEM DOWN
INSIDE.
RIGHT HERE.
AND THEN NO SOIL, RIGHT?
AND THEN THE CABLE CULTURE
SYSTEM AS WE CALL IT, YOU CAN
KIND OF PARK THEM TOGETHER.
AND WHAT HAPPENS, THIS
STRUCTURE, THE WAY WE SEE IS
BASICALLY CAN BE COLLAPSED AND
NOW YOU SEE THE DEPLOYMENT.
AND IT'S FULLY EXPANDED.
BUT EITHER ON THE MOON OR ON
MARS, WHICH YOU WOULD DO, JUST
COMPRESS IT.
AND HAVE THE CULTURE WHERE YOU
CAN PRETTY MUCH PACK AND PUT
QUITE A BIT INSIDE AND THEN ONCE
YOU'RE OUT THERE, HAVE
NUTRIENTS, THE WATER AND THE
NUTRIENTS SLOW DOWN AND THE
CYCLE.
THEY HAD THE ARRIVAL OF THE
ASTRONAUTS, SO ONCE AGAIN, THEY
HAD A FRESH FRUIT AVAILABLE.
>> DESCRIBE THE SIZE IN IT.
WHY IS IT STRUCTURED WITH A
CYLINDER?
>> THE STRUCTURE OF THE CYLINDER
BECAUSE THE MOON DEPLOYMENT,
BASICALLY WE HAD CONCEIVED THAT
THE SYSTEM WOULD BE DEPLOYED ON
MARS.
AND THE SYSTEM CONSIDERED THE
CENTRAL HUB AND DIFFERENT FOLKS.
RIGHT?
ONE OF THOSE UNITS WOULD BE
GREENHOUSES.
THE SYSTEM CALLED FOOD
PRODUCTION, OXYGEN, AND WATER
AND SO ON.
>> SO WE SEND A MAN TO THE MOON
OR MARS.
HE OR SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO
SUSTAIN HER LIFE.
>> OF COURSE, THERE'S A LOT OF
CHALLENGES, YOU KNOW TO DO IT.
BUT WE'RE COLLECTING DATA.
WE'RE MONITORING.
WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THE
ENVELOPE ON WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
>> HERE AGAIN IS PETER SMITH
WITH HIS THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE
OF MARS EXPLOEXPLORATION.
>> THE PATH FINDER MISSION WAS A
HUGE SUCCESS.
WE LOVED IT.
EVERYBODY LIKED THE PICTURES.
WE WATCHED THE ROVER DRIVE
AROUND AND EXPLORE THE ROCKS UP
CLOSE.
AND IN FACT, WE HAD THE FIRST
TRAFFIC ACCIDENT OUTSIDE OF THE
PLANET EARTH AS THE RIVER HIT A
ROCK.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF
EXCITEMENT.
IT WAS JUST THRILLING.
BUT THEN SEVERAL YEARS LATER IN
1999, WE CAME ON A RETURN
MISSION AND WE LOST THE WHOLE
MISSION.
SO WE'D GONE FROM THIS HUGE
SUCCESS AND THE THRILL OF
LANDING ON MARS AND TAKING
PICTURES AND DOING EXPLORATION
TO A COMPLETE FAILURE.
WE HAD NO PICTURES, NO
EXPLORATION POSSIBLE.
AND IT JUST SHOWS HOW DIFFICULT
IT IS TO DO SCIENCE ON MARS.
AND ALSO, HOW DIFFICULT IT WILL
BE FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO MARS.
NOT A SIMPLE THING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT, BUT I'M
AFRAID IT MAY BE A LONG TIME
BEFORE WE'RE REALLY PREPARED TO
SEND PEOPLE.
>> CAN LIFE SUSTAIN ITSELF ON
MARS?
>> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THAT'S SORT OF THE HOLY GRAIL OF
OUR MISSION IS TO TRY AND FIND
IF LIFE CAN SURVIVE ON MARS AS
IT DID IN PRIMITIVE EARTH, WHICH
WAS A HARSH ENVIRONMENT ALSO.
CERTAINLY COULD.
BUT NOT COMMONLY FOUND ON THE
SURFACE.
IT WOULD BE IN LITTLE NICHES OR
CAVES OR UNDERGROUND SITUATIONS
WHERE IT'S PROTECTED.
>> YOU LIKED MARS BEFORE IT WAS
COOL.
THE MOVIE THE MARTIAN JUST CAME
OUT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE JUMP ON THE BAND
WAGON RIGHT NOW.
PROBABLY LITTLE KIDS LIKE YOU
WERE WATCHING IT.
IS THIS A NEW CONCEPT INTO
LOVING SCIENCE?
>> THAT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL
THING, YES.
SCIENCE IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN
ABOUT THE WORLD.
AND A WONDERFUL CAREER.
SO I REALLY HOPE IT DOES
ENCOURAGE KIDS TO STUDY THEIR
SCIENCES.
YOU CAN CONSIDER CAREERS.
>> THE MARTIAN MOVIE DID NOT
NECESSARILY CONTACT YOU
DIRECTLY, BUT YOU HAD SOME ROLE
IN THIS FILM.
>> WELL, THE JET PROPULSION LAB
ASKED ME IF I HAD ANY OLD
PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR CAMERA MOVING
AROUND.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I'M NOT
TOTALLY PROUD OF THIS, BUT THE
CAMERA DOESN'T MOVE AS NICE AND
SMOOTHLY.
IT ACTUALLY IS A LITTLE JERKY AS
IT TURNS.
IT WAS A LOW BUDGET CAMERA.
IT WAS A LITTLE JERKY.
WHEN I USED TO GO TO JPL DURING
THE DAY FOR THE MISSION, THE
PROJECT MANAGER TONY SPEARS,
WHEN HE WOULD SEE ME COMING, OH,
PETER, HE'D START MOVING HIS
HEAD.
>> TELL ME ABOUT THE PICTURE YOU
BROUGHT TODAY.
>> THE PICTURE I BROUGHT IS OUR
FLIGHT CAMERA TAKEN IN 1995 AS
IT WAS DELIVERED TO THE
SPACECRAFT.
RIGHT BEFORE DELIVERY, WE TOOK
THE LAST PICTURE OF IT.
I WANTED TO POINT OUT.
IT LOOKED VERY MUCH LIKE THE ONE
IN THE MOVIE.
IT HAS THE TWO EYES WHICH ALLOWS
THE STEREO VIEW.
IT HAS THE NECK THAT TURNS LIKE
THE HUMAN HEAD.
GIVES YOU A HUMAN VISION OF WHAT
MARS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT
MASS.
IN THE MOVIE, IT HAD THIS
BEAUTIFUL MASS THAT WENT UP AND
DOWN.
WE WOULDN'T AFFORD THAT.
SO WE'D HAVE A LITTLE JACK IN
THE BOX THING THAT WENT UP.
BUT IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT IT,
AND I WANT YOU TO ZOOM IN ON ITS
SO-CALLED FACE, YOU SEE THE
EYES.
IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY, YOU'LL
SEE A LITTLE SMILE.
AND THOSE ARE THE VIN POOLS.
LET'S MAKE A SMILE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CAMERA,
YOU'LL SEE THE SMILE.
THEY DIDN'T GET THAT IN THE
MOVIE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE CALLED ME
DIRECTLY.
I WOULD HAVE POINTED IT OUT.
>> HOW PROUD MUST YOU BE OF YOUR
WORK HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
ARIZONA AND TO SEE IT NOW IN THE
MOVIE?
I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN PROUD FOR A
LONG TIME, BUT NOW PEOPLE ARE
UNDERSTANDING.
>> WELL, I WAS BLESSED TO BE
BORN AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR
SPACE.
MY CAREER STARTED WITH THE
APOLLO PROGRAM AND CONTINUED
UNTIL THE DAY THE EXPLORATION OF
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR PLANETS
AND EVEN ONE THAT'S NO LONGER A
PLANET HAPPENED DURING MY
CAREER.
SO I COULDN'T HAVE CHOSEN A
BETTER TIME TO GO INTO SPACE
SCIENCE.
>> JOINING ME NOW IS SARAH
HAMMOND, THE SCIENCE PRODUCER
HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME
TODAY.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> HOW LONG HAS THIS RESEARCH
BEEN DONE HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY
WORKING WITH NASA?
>> WELL, THE PLANETARY LAB AND
THE SCIENCES DEPARTMENT STOOD UP
IN THE 1960s WHEN JER RON HYPER
WAS RECRUITED FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.
HE WAS MAPPING THE MOON FOR A
LUNAR LANDING SITE.
PRESIDENT KENNEDY WAS PASSIONATE
ABOUT IT.
IT JUST CONTINUED.
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA HAS
BEEN INVOLVED IN LITERALLY ALL
IF NOT ALL OF PLANETARY
EXPLORATION SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
THE LAST THREE OR FOUR DECADES
OR SO.
MANY MORE TO COME.
WHEN WE SEE A PROJECT LIKE THIS,
THE MARTIAN MOVIE WHERE EVERYONE
WONDERS, WHAT ARE THE SCIENTISTS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
THINKING?
IT GOES BEYOND THE U OF A.
IT HAPPENS IN OTHER UNIVERSITIES
AND THE STATE.
>> RIGHT.
WE HAVE A PLANETARY SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT HERE AT THE TUCSON
UNIVERSITY.
ARIZONA UNIVERSITY HAS DONE A
LOT OF WORK ON MARS EXPLORATION.
AND THE OBSERVATORY IN
FLAGSTAFF, OF COURSE, DISCOVERED
PLUTO.
AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO
IMPORTANT WORK THERE AS WELL.
SO ARIZONA IS PRETTY WELL KNOWN
FOR PLANETARY EXPLORATION IN
SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY.
>> AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
MADE SOME NEWS SEVERAL WEEKS
BACK WHEN WE HEARD NEWS OF WATER
ON MARS.
HOW DID THAT ALL HAPPEN?
>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE
HIGH RES CAMERA WHICH WE JUST
HEARD ABOUT FROM DR. McKARIN,
CIRCLES MARS EVERY FEW HOURS AND
AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
NOTICED THESE FEATURES ON MARS.
IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE
EXTENDED OUT AND GO BACK AWAY.
HE WENT TO DOCUMENT AND
DETERMINED THAT IS ACTUALLY
WATER FLOWING ON MARS DURING THE
SUMMER.
SO THE FAULTS ON MARS ALLOWS THE
WATER TO LIQUEFY AND SEE IT IN
WINTER.
THE FEATURES WERE FIRST
DISCOVERED BY HIGH RES AND THEN
ANOTHER INSTRUMENT ON THE MARS
CONFIRMED THEM.
>> SO SORT OF STARTED AT THE U
OF A AND THEN CAME FULL CIRCLE.
HAD THE SCIENTIFIC WORLD BUZZING
A FEW WEEKS AGO.
>> CERTAINLY.
>> THIS MOVIE, THE MARTIAN,
REALLY GAINING A LOT OF GROUND
IN HOLLYWOOD.
BUT I THINK ALSO REALLY
INSPIRING A NEW GENERATION OF
SCIENTISTS.
>> IT REALLY IS.
I SAT IN ON THE PANEL DISCUSSION
OVER AT THE SCIENCE THERE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS
THERE AND I THINK THE IDEA THAT
WE CAN LEARN ABOUT OTHER
PLANETS, PERHAPS GO TO OTHER
PLANETS SOME DAY, IS INSPIRING
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME
SCIENTISTS OR ENGINEERS.
AND REALLY CONTINUE ON WITH THE
WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE
THE '50s AND '60s.
>> THE PANEL DISCUSSION YOU WERE
ABLE TO SIT IN ON, A LOT SAY
THIS WAS DONE WELL CONSIDERING
THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHAT THEY
WERE TRYING TO PORTRAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S A FILM MADE FROM A LOCAL
FICTION, BUT THE AUTHOR DID HIS
HOMEWORK.
AND DID A LOT OF RESEARCH.
IT'S AS REALISTIC AS IT CAN
POSSIBLY BE.
IT IS A LOT OF FUN TOO.
AND THE INTEREST IN MARS.
YOU WANT TO GO SEE IT.
>> AND ALL OF THE PROFESSORS WE
SPOKE WITH AT THE UNIVERSITY
TALKED IN LENGTH ABOUT HOW IT
WAS WELL DONE AND THERE ARE SOME
CONCERNS.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT DID A
REALLY GOOD JOB OF GIVING CREDIT
TO THE WORK THAT'S DONE HERE AT
THE U OF A.
>> HERE AT THE U OF A AND NASA,
THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
GOT A PRETTY GOOD SHOUTOUT WITH
THE MOVIE.
IT'S REALISTIC AND FUN.
>> SARAH HAMMOND, SCIENCE
PRODUCER HERE AT ARIZONA PUBLIC
MEDIA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
ANALYSIS.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
FOR ALL OF US AT ARIZONA PUBLIC