What Happened On March 19th?

2013 was a year for science as fatal disease smallpox was eradicated completely, while NASA made their moves on Mars. And, on March 19, 2013, NASA’s rover, Curiosity, analyzed rock powder and meticulously drilled from the Martian surface, revealing the presence of hydrated minerals. This became a tantalizing clue, igniting hope that microbial life on the Red Planet could have existed or could still exist. The announcement was made at a prestigious planetary science conference, where scientists all over world were taken by surprise and excitement!

The specific minerals identified were clay minerals, known to only form in the presence of water. While not concrete proof of a “flowing river,” it strongly inferred that Mars had a wetter environment in its distant past.

Curiosity’s onboard laboratory, the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) was the instrument that gave way to the discovery. Through miniaturization, SAM was able to analyze the chemical composition of drilled rock powder, allowing scientists to identify the presence of these crucial hydrated minerals.

Curiosity’s landing site, Gale Crater, was meticulously chosen based on geological evidence suggesting past water activity. As this precise placement led to a positive outcome, scientists were inspired to use similar approaches in future missions.

Did you know that Curiosity has a playlist built in to its system? There are songs by artists like Frank Sinatra and The Beatles, along with some classical pieces. They were included to boost mission morale and provide a wake-up call for the rover. Check out the playlist here.

In a historic first, Curiosity sent the very first tweet from Mars in 2012. A simple yet profound message, “I’m safely on the surface of Mars.” After Facebook was founded 8 years ago, a new era of social media engagement was about to begin with the evolvement of Twitter.

Curiosity next tweeted that it needed a name for itself. NASA held a nationwide student contest for the best name for the rover. The winning name was submitted by a 12-year-old student and sixth grader, Clara Ma, who perfectly captured the rover’s mission to explore and learn about Mars.

So, are we alone in the universe? Curiosity’s relentless quest for discovery allowed for a new rover, Perseverance, which is on the Martian planet with Curiosity to this day.