Explore Mars in Toulouse

The fascinating Red Planet becomes accessible to all with the new exhibition at the Cité de l’Espace in Toulouse, France. Discover how robots explore it for us and get the feel of its environment by means of experiments and activities.

 

Mars as photographed by the Mars Global Surveyor probe (mosaic of several photographs). Credit: NASA/JPL/MSSS

At this very moment, the American Curiosity rover is on its way to Mars. It is due to land there in August 2012 in order to write a new chapter in the history of the exploration of this world which was perhaps once covered with oceans and saw the emergence of a simple life form.
This planet has been a continual fascination since ancient times. Its red glow in the sky was, for instance, noticed by the first astronomers. Then, Greeks and Romans gave it the name of the god of war (Ares then Mars) by analogy with the colour of blood spilt on the battlefields.

Space probes, our scouts
Furthermore, it was a war, the cold war that opposed the United States and the Soviet Union, which triggered the beginning of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. Both powers measured their respective merits by means of their space exploits, Mars stood out as a choice target at the same time as the Moon. But, there was no question of sending astronauts to Mars because of the great distance separating us (at least 55 million km!); consequently, probes became our scouts. In July 1965, the American Mariner 4 became the first spacecraft to fly over the fourth planet in our solar system.

Mariner 4, the first probe to fly over Mars in 1965. Others were to follow. Credit: NASA

Today, after more than forty robotic missions (no man or woman has yet put foot on Martian soil), we know more about this desert-like and inhospitable world which perhaps did once have favourable conditions for the emergence of living beings.

A world within easy reach
With its new “Explore Mars” exhibition as of 11 February, the Cité de l’Espace in Toulouse, France, is therefore making it possible for you to visit this planet by means of images and data that has been transmitted to us by the various probes sent up into space and, notably, by the rovers that have travelled across its surface.

From left to right: compare the size of these rovers: Spirit and Opportunity (only one is shown as they are identical), Sojourner and lastly Curiosity which is to land on Mars on 6 August 2012. Credit: NASA/JPL

For instance, visitors will be able to see, and even get close to, life-size models of the various Martian rovers: Sojourner (the size of a shoebox, it operated from 6 July to 27 September 1997), Opportunity (bigger, it has been operating since January 2004) as well as the impressive Curiosity (the size of an urban car!) which is home to 10 instruments, including 2 French ones that were designed with the CNES, the French Space Agency, a partner of the exhibition. It is due to land in the Gale crater on Mars on 6 August 2012. The video below is a presentation of Curiosity and its French experiments.



“Explore Mars” is a highly animated exhibition that unites a range of experiments, full-size space objects, situation simulations and videos that will enable visitors to get the feel of Mars. On this cold planet with its atmosphere that is much more tenuous than that on Earth, water ice for instance changes directly from its solid to its gaseous state without going through the liquid state that we know. The head of the “Classe Mars” (Mars classroom) workshop will help you to conduct astonishing and spectacular experiments in which you will see this phenomenon, together with others that are typical of the Red Planet.
Discover what it is like to walk on Mars and feel the astonishing lightness that results from the Martian force of gravity with the Astrojump simulator. Feel free to plunge your hands in different types of sand in order to choose the one that most resembles Martian soil. “Explore Mars” at the Cité de l’Espace actually puts this fascinating planet within easy reach!
Furthermore, up until 1 April 2012, one child (under the age of 15) is admitted free of charge to the Cité de l’Espace when accompanied by one full paying adult.



This exhibition was created in partnership with the CNES (the French Space Agency) with support from the IRAP, the Académie de Toulouse, the OMP and Toulouse Town Council.

Published on 10 February 2012