Chance to Mars of Russia's NORD device

An invention by Russian scientists is participating in the design competition of future Mars self-propelled vehicles, organized by NASA space agency. The competition has just announced to stop accepting applications. Among the approved applications was the NORD design of Moscow Institute of Space Studies IKI, of the Russian Academy of Sciences. NORD holds many opportunities to be present in the new Mars self-propelled flight, scheduled for 2020.

Mars-2020 will most likely be the current Curiosity Mars device. However, many scientific factors of autonomous research vehicles will have to change, meeting the next research objectives. Curiosity investigated the possibility of ever existing on the Martian living conditions and obtaining a positive answer. Mars-2020 will start searching for bacteria or their traces.

Researcher Igor Mitrofanov, head of the laboratory at the Russian Space Research Institute, said about NORD's working function:

'. NORD will operate based on natural radiation records on the surface of Mars. The device analyzes the number of different chemical elements present in the soil component in the autonomous vehicle area . "

Mars-2020 also has the task of evaluating the prospect of using planetary resources for future residents. Here, NORD equipment will mention interesting aspects of mineral composition. After that, Mars self-propelled cars used drill and hand to take samples of rock samples. Mars-2020 stores soil samples for several years, waiting for delivery to another device that will arrive at the planet later, said Igor Mitrofanov.

'That will be the beginning of the program to bring Martian soil to Earth. Mars-2020 will collect physical samples, then go to the waiting place to meet other equipment responsible for transport. Samples will be handed over and on the way to Earth. "

And Mars-2020 must stay in Mars. Leaving Mars is a complex task that is much more complicated than the Moon's activation due to the planet's strong gravitational pull. Igor Marinin, editor-in-chief of the magazine's travel industry, needs a very strong rocket.

'Russian and American devices have landed on Mars many times but none have tried to launch equipment from the planet. The first reason is that in addition to the launch pad, prepare a rocket. A very expensive job in terms of energy. In addition, the ship returned to the Earth's atmosphere without burning. "

However, bringing soil samples to Earth will be the task of the next decade. What suspense researchers are waiting for now is the result of the competition. NASA experts will select and combine the submitted proposals, giving the best equipment for self-propelled vehicles. Russia's NORD hopes to start testing if selected. The Russian space research institute has recruited a group of Russian-American collaborators for the operation of the equipment. The expert team will also be responsible for NORD while working on Mars.