Latest news with #ExoMars
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scottish university to test out Mars Rover on billion-year-old Highland rock
Scotland is making a contribution to space exploration by loaning out one of its ancient rocks to test out a robot bound for Mars, with researchers from one of the country's top universities trialling instruments to be used on the European Mars Rover. Researchers from The University of St Andrews will carry out imaging and analysis of one billion-year-old geological formations that are very like those on Mars to boost the rover's intelligence before its set to launch in 2028. A Mars rover is a remote-controlled motor vehicle that is designed to travel on the surface of Mars and allow scientists to examine more territory, target specific features, and study the planet's geology and environment, reports The Daily Record. Some rovers also collect samples for future return to Earth. READ MORE: Edinburgh man hospitalised after riot police lock down street READ MORE: Two Edinburgh schools to be renamed to 'reduce stigma towards pupils' Using the billion-year-old mudstones that are unique to the north-west Scottish coastline, the researchers will be able to understand how the geological capture of ancient microbial life in these sediments changes the chemistry of the rocks. They can also better understand how these changes can be detected using Mars rover instruments. These ancient rocks are the same that would have been found in Mars' ancient terrains when the environment was much more agreeable to life. Led by Dr Clare Cousins, of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, researchers have already been on getting their hands dirty in the fields of north west Scotland with two emulator instruments. "Our understanding of Mars is rooted in geological knowledge inherited from the Earth," Dr Cousins explained. "Rock formations here are vital testing grounds for new instruments that are destined for the Martian surface. "It's hoped these instruments will allow the ExoMars rover team to identify those geological formations at the landing site that not only betray once habitable water-rich environments that existed billions of years ago, but also rocks that are excellent at preserving the long-gone remnants of microbial life.' The University of St Andrews is also part of a larger project in partnership with the University of Western Ontario for their Canadian Space Agency project to test these same instruments at an impact crater site in Germany. It comes after astronomers, including one from University of Edinburgh, have stumbled across a strange object that is emitting radio waves - and they don't know why. The object - a long-period transient (LPT) - is emitting pulses of radio waves and X-rays every 44 minutes. LPTs are a relatively new class of astrophysical objects that are known to emit radio waves periodically. However, this is the first time such objects have been detected in X-rays. Incredibly, the discovery could hint at a new type of physics or new star models in the sky. As of yet, there is no clear cut answer to what the curious entity is, and why it's doing what it's doing. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Edinburgh Live
06-06-2025
- Science
- Edinburgh Live
Scottish university to test out Mars Rover on billion-year-old Highland rock
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Scotland is making a contribution to space exploration by loaning out one of its ancient rocks to test out a robot bound for Mars, with researchers from one of the country's top universities trialling instruments to be used on the European Mars Rover. Researchers from The University of St Andrews will carry out imaging and analysis of one billion-year-old geological formations that are very like those on Mars to boost the rover's intelligence before its set to launch in 2028. A Mars rover is a remote-controlled motor vehicle that is designed to travel on the surface of Mars and allow scientists to examine more territory, target specific features, and study the planet's geology and environment, reports The Daily Record. Some rovers also collect samples for future return to Earth. Using the billion-year-old mudstones that are unique to the north-west Scottish coastline, the researchers will be able to understand how the geological capture of ancient microbial life in these sediments changes the chemistry of the rocks. They can also better understand how these changes can be detected using Mars rover instruments. These ancient rocks are the same that would have been found in Mars' ancient terrains when the environment was much more agreeable to life. Led by Dr Clare Cousins, of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, researchers have already been on getting their hands dirty in the fields of north west Scotland with two emulator instruments. "Our understanding of Mars is rooted in geological knowledge inherited from the Earth," Dr Cousins explained. "Rock formations here are vital testing grounds for new instruments that are destined for the Martian surface. "It's hoped these instruments will allow the ExoMars rover team to identify those geological formations at the landing site that not only betray once habitable water-rich environments that existed billions of years ago, but also rocks that are excellent at preserving the long-gone remnants of microbial life.' The University of St Andrews is also part of a larger project in partnership with the University of Western Ontario for their Canadian Space Agency project to test these same instruments at an impact crater site in Germany. It comes after astronomers, including one from University of Edinburgh, have stumbled across a strange object that is emitting radio waves - and they don't know why. The object - a long-period transient (LPT) - is emitting pulses of radio waves and X-rays every 44 minutes. LPTs are a relatively new class of astrophysical objects that are known to emit radio waves periodically. However, this is the first time such objects have been detected in X-rays. Incredibly, the discovery could hint at a new type of physics or new star models in the sky. As of yet, there is no clear cut answer to what the curious entity is, and why it's doing what it's doing.
Daily Record
06-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Record
Robot that will explore Mars' surface tested out on billion-year-old Highland rock
It turns out one-billion-year-old mudstones unique to the Scottish coastline are very like the red planet's terrain Scotland is playing its part in space exploration by lending one of its ancient rocks to test out a robot bound for Mars. The University of St Andrews researchers are trialling instruments to be used on the European Mars Rover. A Mars rover is a remote-controlled motor vehicle designed to travel on the surface of Mars. It allows scientists to examine more territory, target specific features, and study the red planet's geology and environment. Some rovers also collect samples for future return to Earth. The work is imaging and analysing one billion-year-old geological formations that are very like those on Mars to up the rover's intelligence before its launch in 2028. Using one billion-year-old mudstones, unique to the north-west Scottish coastline, researchers can understand how the geological capture of ancient microbial life in these sediments changes the chemistry of the rocks. They can also get their head round how these changes can be detected using Mars rover instruments. These are the same kinds of rocks found in Mars ' ancient terrains when the environment was much more agreeable to life. Led by Dr Clare Cousins, of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, researchers have already been on getting their hands dirty in the fields of north west Scotland with two emulator instruments. "Our understanding of Mars is rooted in geological knowledge inherited from the Earth," Dr Cousins explained. "Rock formations here are vital testing grounds for new instruments that are destined for the Martian surface. "It's hoped these instruments will allow the ExoMars rover team to identify those geological formations at the landing site that not only betray once habitable water-rich environments that existed billions of years ago, but also rocks that are excellent at preserving the long-gone remnants of microbial life.' The University of St Andrews is also part of a larger project in partnership with the University of Western Ontario for their Canadian Space Agency project to test these same instruments at an impact crater site in Germany. It comes after astronomers, including one from University of Edinburgh, have stumbled across a strange object that is emitting radio waves - and they don't know why. The object - a long-period transient (LPT) - is emitting pulses of radio waves and X-rays every 44 minutes. LPTs are a relatively new class of astrophysical objects that are known to emit radio waves periodically. However, this is the first time such objects have been detected in X-rays. Incredibly, the discovery could hint at a new type of physics or new star models in the sky. As of yet, there is no clear cut answer to what the curious entity is, and why it's doing what it's doing. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Mars exploration: Why ESA are testing tech in the Highlands
Scientists hunting for life on Mars are focussing their attention on somewhere a bit unexpected. They have been testing high-tech equipment - not in a special simulator or mock up of the red planet - but in the remote town of Lower Diabaig in the Scottish Highlands. And why? Because rocks on the banks of Loch Torridon are similar to those on the surface of Mars and perfect for testing their tech. And that tech includes parts from a special rover just like one they're aiming to drive on Mars itself."Before we send any technology to Mars, we want to put it through its paces, and understand how well it works and how [best] to use the data we get from it", said Dr Claire Cousins, who is part of the testing team. Dr Claire Cousins is from the University of St Andrews and is working with the European Space Agency (ESA) on the ExoMars Mission. According to Dr Cousins, the team of international scientists are setting themselves a "big goal", trying to understand the ancient environment from about four billion years ago. The trials have included cameras of the type to be used as the rover's "eyes", and kit that can detect ancient biology preserved in the Cousins explains there are only a few places on Earth that are suitable for this kind of testing, and these billion-year-old mudstone are perfect. "They haven't been cooked and squeezed and crushed under mountain belts."They have been beautifully preserved - a slice of time," she said. "We don't know yet if there was ever life on Mars, but these are the kinds of rocks that are going to preserve it," Claire added. What is the Mars mission all about and when will it take place? The ExoMars rover was due to land on Mars back in 2021 but complications meant it's launch has had to be delayed until 2028. If all goes to plan, the rover will land on Mars in 2030. It is the first time scientists in Britain have built a rover. It will drill into the surface of Mars in order to study the composition of the planet, and investigate whether there was once life there.
The National
11-05-2025
- Science
- The National
Mars rover technology tested out in Scottish Highlands
A team from the University of St Andrews has been testing equipment in Lower Diabaig in Torridon, where there are rocks that are billions of years old and similar to those found on Mars. The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning to send a robotic rover to Mars to study its geology and look for fossils and minerals, the BBC reports. So far, the trials in Torridon have considered the type of cameras which should be used as the rover's "eyes", as well as tests on equipment that can detect ancient biology preserved in the rock. READ MORE: Update as huge wildfire continues to burn in West Lothian amid 'extreme warning' The robot is named after London-born scientist Rosalind Franklin, who died in 1958. ESA said the missions would tackle the question of whether life has ever existed on Mars. The project, known as the ExoMars programme, is made up of two missions. The First, called Trace Gas Orbiter, was launched in 2016. The second mission has a target launch of 2028 and aims to land the rover on Mars. Many geological areas and features on Mars have been named by Nasa after places on Earth, including in Scotland. Some of the names taken from Scotland include Torridon, Holyrood, Siccar Point, Muck, Wick and Sandwick. Dr Claire Cousins, from the University of St Andrews, said the rare geology around Lower Diabaig was "ideal" for testing the rover. READ MORE: I visited Donald Trump's ancestral homeland. This is what I learned about him She told BBC Scotland's Landward programme: "The rocks haven't metamorphosed right, they haven't been cooked and squeezed and crushed under mountain belts. "They have been beautifully preserved – a slice of time. "We don't know yet if there was ever life on Mars, but these are the kinds of rocks that are going to preserve it."
