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NASA Eyes Svalbard For Mars Research

Posted by Hemos on from the testing-it-out dept.

TomMajor writes "The US space agency NASA is keen on using Svalbard as a regular testing grounds for future expeditions to Mars. One expert says research conditions on the Norwegian Arctic archipelago are "first-class.""

13 comments

  1. Svalbard in "His Dark Materials" by RobotWisdom · · Score: 1

    Fans of Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials will recognise Svalbard as a major locale: [map]

    1. Re:Svalbard in "His Dark Materials" by tiled_rainbows · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I was wondering how those NASA guys are gonna deal with the giant talking bears, too. Those guys can tear through steel like paper.

      --

      evil math within Nature's Cubic Creation!
  2. NasaWatch visits Svalbard by RobotWisdom · · Score: 3, Informative

    Keith Cowing of NasaWatch weblog is one of the Americans doing research at 'Mars Summer Camp' on Devon Island. Illustrated journals are available for last year and for the season just starting: [example and links]

  3. Panzerbjorn! by MightyTribble · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's all part of NASA's plans to recruit Panzerbjorn for their Conquest of the Red Planet. Apparently they intend to send an armored bear expedition to the Martian north pole via an Aeronaut balloon, to claim the ice deposits in the name of Science. In other news, NASA plans to change it's name to the General Oblation Board...

    1. Re:Panzerbjorn! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But what about Pantalaimon? Where does he fit in to all of this?

  4. Too easy to find ... by henrygb · · Score: 1

    ... ice (as a water source) or life, in Svalbard. Worse, the life - seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus - is potentially hazardous to equipment.

    1. Re:Too easy to find ... by raduga · · Score: 3, Funny
      >Worse, the life - seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus
      >[cia.gov] - is potentially hazardous to equipment.
      >^^^^^^

      Of these few, surely the most hazardous animals of all.

      --
      First, nothing begins if not opening
  5. Going or not? by hmaugans · · Score: 1

    NASA has been talking about going to Mars forever, but they keep pushing the year back... =/
    ----------
    Check out Harvest Moon Online
    (a free online game based on the SNES game)

    1. Re:Going or not? by tiled_rainbows · · Score: 1

      NASA has been talking about going to Mars forever, but they keep pushing the year back...

      Yeah, it's totally embarrassing. Imagine if someone from the sixties, say, got in a time machine to visit us in 2003.
      "Where are all the spaceships?" he'd say. "Haven't you guys build a base on Mars yet?"
      "Uh, no... but we are building one in Norway."
      The shame.

      --

      evil math within Nature's Cubic Creation!
  6. Longyearbyen, svalbard is a perfect place by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I have been to svalsat several times and the norwegians are very skilled engineers. because of longyearbyen being a small island you are you have very limited resorces and need very talented people to maintain stubility to the operations center. I am glad to hear that more work from nasa is flowing that way.

  7. 10 things to know about Svalbard (from my memory) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    1. Svalbard is an expensive place (much more Expensive than on Norway mainland).
    2. But weapons and booze can be bought very cheap. And they sell it in ordinary stores. Some voices call it a tragic society...
    3. There is one pub at Svalbard called "Huset". It is located in Longearbyen.
    4. The bouncers of "Huset" aren't allowed to toss you out. Because
    5. there are polar bears on Svalbard. These magnificent animals are much more agressive than at least the Norwegian brown bear. They can smack their way in to your cabin and eat youif they are in a bad mood.
    6. Watch out for the foxes on Svalbard. They may have rabies..
    7. There also lives Russians on Svalbard. They have several mining communities on Spitsbergen. Barentsburg and Pyramiden.
    8. Even if Svalbard is a dmz, Russian subs have been spotted there.. Even recently.
    9. Svalbard is covered by the gulf stream as Norway is. The harbour is mostly ice free in the winter.
    10. Svalbard has no ancient people. William Barents discovered it in 1596.

  8. From the article: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Hans EF Amundsen ... said many places on Svalbard resemble those on Mars. "There are volcanoes, glaciers, warm springs that shoot up from the permafrost and landslides dotting the landscape."
    Did I miss something?