Two free public programs in Pasadena this week will offer a mission leader’s account of the continuing Mars adventures of the rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
Dr. Joy Crisp, a geologist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., will present an illustrated talk about the twin rovers’ challenges and discoveries on Thursday evening, May 19, at JPL and on Friday evening, May 20, at Pasadena City College. She has been the project scientist for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Project throughout the project’s development and operations.
Spirit and Opportunity have continued exploring farther and farther from their landing sites in more than a year of extended missions after successfully completing their primary three-month missions more than a year ago. These robotic field geologists gave a dramatic answer of yes to the question of whether Mars has ever had a wet environment. Opportunity found evidence of an ancient body of water and Spirit has found rocks extensively altered by exposure to water.
Prior to the Mars Exploration Rover mission, Crisp worked on NASA’s Mars Pathfinder mission and on studies of Earth’s volcanoes. A Colorado native, she holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Carleton College, Northfield, Minn., and a Ph.D. in geology from Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.
Both lectures will begin at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. The Thursday lecture will be in JPL’s von Karman Auditorium. JPL is at 4800 Oak Grove Dr., off the Oak Grove Drive exit of the 210 (Foothill) Freeway. The Friday lecture will be in Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd. For more information, call (818) 354-0112.
Thursday’s lecture will be webcast live at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/may05.cfm .
