In Hawaii, NASA Researchers Practice Doing Science On Mars

Researchers from NASA Ames Research Center and the University of Hawaii, Hilo, spent 18 days simulating science activities on the surface of Mars. Although no spacesuits were used, scientist hiked around Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii and collected rock samples like they would on the Red Planet.

One goal of the Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT) project is to develop rules and protocols that could be used on an actual Mars mission to identify and protect geologic samples that could contain life. Communications with a mission control room were delayed, to simulate actual transmission times between Earth and Mars.

Explore this story and more online at http://go.nasa.gov/2fYSeq2

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