.::ESA finds water on Mars::.

[eagleone]

Must see + great pics: http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/index.html

http://www.dvhardware.net/article2375.html

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[meteor]

Yes, water was detected in Mars time before this mission, but that were indirect detections. This is the first direct detection of water in Mars. Is possible to melt some part of that ice to form an atmosphere, in the style of the final scenes of Total Recall?

[LURCH]

No, not nearly enough for that (which is why Total Recall talked about large quantities of ice below the surface) but enough to prove that there is water on Mars. Up untill now, we only had hints and indications that there probably was, and we could say we were almost certain, but now we know for sure.

And if there's water on the surface at the poles, then there is very likely to be water below the surface elsewhere. Maybe not enough for terraforming purposes, but enough for use by future missions. Especially if we go ahead with the manned missions.

[eagleone]

Imagine how Mars looked when the river that carved this canyon was alive, streaming, jumping, flowing, bubbling, waving :) – so associates on life (some green~fauna around it wouldn’t be bad ;))...
http://www.esa.int/export/images/ob_22_reull_v,1.jpg

This picture was taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) onboard ESA's Mars Express orbiter, in colour and 3D, in orbit 18 on 15 January 2004 from a height of 273 km. The location is east of the Hellas basin at 41° South and 101° East. The area is 100 km across, with a resolution of 12 m per pixel, and shows a channel (Reull Vallis) once formed by flowing water. The landscape is seen in a vertical view, North is at the top.

[Evo]

Wow, great picture!