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The Planetary Report • November/December 2002
Laser "Footprints" on Mars
On the Cover: This image, produced from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data, reveals abundant evidence for the past flow of liquid water on Mars. Shown here is the Chryse outflow region, located 315 to 330 degrees east and 0 to 20 degrees north. Thanks to MOLA, scientists now know the topography of Mars better than they do the topography of many regions on Earth.
Features
4 Shedding Light on the Red Planet: Science Findings From the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: Maria Zuber, David Smith, and James Abshire report on MOLA's key discoveries.
10 Oceans, Ice Shells, and Life on Europa: Paul Schenk looks at the thickness of Europa's ice shell and the implications for life in its subsurface ocean.
16 Breaking New Ground: Red Rover Goes to Mars: Bruce Betts announces the contest to select the Student Astronauts for this exciting program!
Departments
3 Members' Dialogue Honoring Voyager; the importance of space exploration
19 World Watch The loss of CONTOUR; one step foward for the Pluto-Kuiper Belt mission
20 Q&A Do solar sails reflect light from both sides? What's the fate of eccentric exoplanets?
22 Society News Announcing Red Rover Goes to Mars, expedition to Argentina, and the European Mars Society Convention
The Planetary Report • November/December 2002
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