It ’s impossible for NASA scientists to get their hands on authentic Mars crap without air a rover one thousand thousand of miles to the ruby-red planet and back . A much more effective style to study the properties of Martian soil is to pay $ 20 a kilogram for an idea of the stuff that was cooked up in a science lab .
According to theUniversity of Central Florida , a team of astrophysicists from the college has successfully developed artificial dirt , called a simulant , that mimics what you ’d find on the surface of Mars . The planet gets its signature ruby-red chromaticity from a thick coating ofoxidized iron dust . Beneath this layer is a insolence of mostly volcanic basalt rock . Unlike terrestrial dirt , Martian dirt contains no organic matter , but it does carry nutrients like sodium , potassium , chloride , and magnesium .
All of the components that make up grunge on Mars can be find on Earth , though some are easier to observe than others . After phrase a recipe for their simulant , the UCF astrophysicists trail down the ingredients , drudge them into a powder , mixed them into a spread , baked the variety , and pulverise it again . The net product is being betray to scientists concerned in Mars enquiry , such as the Kennedy Space Center , which has already grade an purchase order for half a ton of the fake shite .
For researchers looking at the feasibility of sending people to Mars , Martian dirt — or something a mass like it — is an priceless pecker . Every Panthera uncia of cargo will be cherished on a likely Mars mission , and the power to grow crops when the crew arrive on our neighboring satellite could make the remainder between the mission ’s winner and failure . UCF ’s simulant allow scientists to try different method acting of husbandry .
Like dirt on Earth , Mars dirt follow in many dissimilar varieties , and the formula acquire by UCF is n’t the standard used by all Mars researchers . But if anyone is look to duplicate experiment conducted with the UCF simulant , they can retrieve the formula in the study the investigator published in the journalIcarus .
Martian soil is n’t the only quad affair the university specialise in . The astrophysicists there also make simulants for lunar and asteroid grease , but these are much more hard to make : Some of the element can only be source from meteorites that have fallen to Earth .
