Technology News

Chemical reaction in landslide rocks may start wildfires
A new research has suggested that a chemical reaction in rocks in landslides may be responsible for starting wildfires. ANI

Now, a project to encourage visually-impaired pupils to take up computer science
The U.S. National Science Fioundation (NSF) is funding an initiative at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) that has been designed to help prepare visually impaired middle school and high school students participate in computer science programs at the collegiate level. ANI

New invention to neutralize hurricanes with help from supersonic jet
Scientists have put forward a patent application about developing a supersonic hurricane neutralizer, which can put a spanner in the atmospheric works by flying supersonic jet aircraft in concentric circles around a hurricanes eye, the calm area around which the storm rotates. ANI

China to launch its first Mars probe in 2009

Reports indicate that China would launch its first Mars probe Yinghuo-1 atop a Russian launch vehicle in October 2009.

London, Dec 4 : Reports indicate that China would launch its first Mars probe Yinghuo-1 atop a Russian launch vehicle in October 2009.

The probe will travel 350 million km in 11 months before entering planet's orbit.

"Yinghuo-1 will reach the preset circling orbit and send back the first images of the red planet in September 2010," said Chen Changya, a researcher with the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering.

"The 110-kg Mars probe will circle around the planet for one year, though it has a designed life of two years. It will conduct scientific exploration tasks, including exploring the Martian space environment, and relay back the first Mars images taken by a Chinese satellite," said Chen.

After entering Mars' orbit, Yinghuo-1 will be detached from the Russian spacecraft, which will land on the Martian moon and return to Earth with soil samples.

According to a statement issued by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) in March, "The mission is the result of close cooperation with Russia, and represents a milestone in the history of space cooperation between the two neighbors."

"The probe's prototype is now being subject to a series of experiments, and next May, its compatibility with the Russian spacecraft will be tested," said Chen, who is in charge of the project developing the Mars probe.

NASA's twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers, launched on June 10 and July 7, 2003, landed on Mars on January 3 and January 24, to search for and characterize a wide range of rocks and soils that hold clues to past water activity on Mars.

ANI