rdf-syntax-grammar
mods:
  schema location: http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
  title info:
    title: MARS A Cosmic Stepping Stone
    sub title: Uncovering Humanity’s Cosmic Context
  name:
    name part: Nolan, Kevin.
    role:
      role term: creator
    role:
      role term: author.
  name:
    name part: SpringerLink (Online service)
  type of resource: text
  origin info:
    place:
      place term: xxu
    date issued: 2008
    issuance: monographic
  language:
    language term: eng
  physical description:
    form: electronic
    form: electronic resource
    reformatting quality: access
    form: remote
    extent: XXII, 386 p. 165 illus., 53 illus. in color. online resource.
  abstract: The questions of our origin and cosmic abundance of life are among the most compelling facing humanity. We have determined much about the nature and origin of the Universe and our place in it, but with virtually all evidence of our origin long since gone from our world and an unimaginably vast Universe still to explore, defining answers are difficult to obtain. For all of the difficulties facing us however, the planet Mars may act as a ‘cosmic stepping stone’ in uncovering some of the answers. Although different today, the origin and early history of both Earth and Mars may have been similar enough to consider an origin to life on both. But because Mars’ planetary processes collapsed over three billion years ago – just as life was beginning to flourish on Earth – a significant and unique record of activity from that era perhaps relevant to the origin of life still resides there today. In recognition of this, both the US and Europe are currently engaged in one of the most ambitious programs of exploration ever undertaken. Built on our legacy of Mars exploration from the Viking era and before, a far-reaching, phased, program of robotic exploration now and over the coming decades aims at obtaining definitive answers about the origin and nature of the red planet and what it has to say about the origin and cosmic abundance of life. This book examines these issues in one of the most comprehensive treatments ever written about the planet Mars and our legacy of engagement with it, in language suitable for non-expert and expert alike. Opening chapters consider the question of life in the Universe and the origin of life on Earth and what challenges face us in uncovering defining answers. With a realization of its importance in this, the next section examines the legacy of our engagement with Mars. From Kepler’s work on its orbit, Schiaparelli’s efforts to resolve its surface features and NASA’s Mariner and Viking programs attempting to determine whether life resides upon the …
  table of contents: Life in the Universe -- The Origin of Life on Earth -- From Antiquity to the Canals -- Viking -- The Legacy of Viking -- Mars: A Cosmic Stepping Stone -- A Grand Plan -- The Search for Life: A Planetary Perspective -- The Search for Life: Water and the Atmosphere -- The Search for Life: Past and Present -- A Global Strategy -- Global Programs -- First Steps: Pathfinder -- Mars Reconnaissance -- Spirit and Opportunity -- A Paradigm Shift -- Next Steps -- Because It’s There -- Planetary Protection -- A Human Mission to Mars -- Our Life in the Universe.
  note: by Kevin Nolan.
  subject:
    topic: Popular works
  subject:
    topic: Astronomy
  subject:
    topic: Astrophysics
  subject:
    topic: Cosmology
  subject:
    topic: Aerospace engineering
  subject:
    topic: Astronautics
  subject:
    topic: Popular Science
  subject:
    topic: Popular Science in Astronomy
  subject:
    topic: Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
  subject:
    topic: Aerospace Technology and Astronautics
  classification: QB1-991
  classification: 520
  related item:
    title info:
      title: Springer eBooks
  identifier: 9780387499819
  identifier: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-49981-9
  record info:
    record creation date: 100301
    record change date: 20151204160602.0
    record identifier: 978-0-387-49981-9