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Like the Ancient Mariner in the poem by Coleridge, the Mars rover Spirit seems to be whispering in its electronic voice, "Water, water everywhere ..."
Only a week after its successful landing, Spirit has already detected traces of water in the minerals within range of its instruments. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory website reports that the mini-thermal emission spectrometer aboard Spirit shows the infrared signature of carbonates, which form in the presence of water.
BBC online reports that scientists are not sure whether the carbonates come from water that covered the site, or from vapor in the atmosphere or blowing dust, but the findings will help scientists decide where to send Spirit for further investigations. "We came looking for carbonates. We have them. We're going to chase them," said Dr Phil Christensen of Arizona State University, Tempe, leader of the Mini-Tes team.
NASA chose Gusev Crater as the Spirit landing site because pictures suggest the area may once have been a lake. Water found inside crystals underground would mean that it once flowed freely on the surface. The presence of liquid water is considered key for finding life on Mars, either in living or fossil forms.
Because its front ramp is blocked by a protective airbag, mission controllers plan to rotate Spirit 120 degrees before rolling it down what they hope is a clear path to the ground late Tuesday. Currently the robot is "standing up" on its wheels, ready to roll.
Even parked on its pad, the Spirit has provided a great deal of data to scientists, including stunning color images of the Red Planet, allowing scientists a detailed look at the landing site. Most intriguing are soil marks showing an unusual cohesiveness, almost as if the soil grains were stuck together like mud. Scientist Steve Squyres exclaimed, "The way in which the surface has responded is bizarre. It looks like mud, but it can't be mud."
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