Exploring the Solar System

Dominic Ford reports from the European Planetary Science Congress, where he heard about the latest misisons to Mars and the Moon.
25 September 2013
Presented by Dominic Ford

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Dominic Ford reports from the European Planetary Science Congress, where he heard about the latest misisons to Mars and the Moon. Lewis Dartnell explains how the ExoMars mission, due to land on Mars in 2018, will go about looking for signs of lifeforms that may have died out billions of years ago. Dina Pasini discusses her more speculative ideas about how the life we see on Earth could have started on Mars. And Bernard Foing and Jessica Barnes discuss what we're still learning about the Moon. Plus, we have more answers to your space science questions.

In this episode

A model of the ExoMars rover

01:17 - Searching for Martian life

If life on Mars died out billions of years ago, what chemical tracers might still survive?

Searching for Martian life
with Lewis Dartnell, University of Leceister

Transcript to follow.

An iron meteorite

10:00 - Could life have come from Mars?

Some theorists think life could have started on Mars, and have come to Earth on a meteorite. But is that feasible?

Could life have come from Mars?
with Dina Pasini, University of Kent

Transcript to follow.

Conjunction of Moon and Venus

Can you make any astronomical sightings during the day?

Transcript to follow.

NASA photograph of one of the two identical Voyager space probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 launched in 1977.

20:00 - The latest astronomy news

Robert Massey from the Royal Astronomical Society gave me a round-up of the latest astronomy news.

The latest astronomy news
with Robert Massey, The Royal Astronomical Society

Transcript to follow.

Photograph of a full moon, viewed from the Earth

29:18 - The SMART-1 mission

As our closest celestial neighbour, the Moon is an ideal place for testing new technologies in space.

The SMART-1 mission
with Benard, Foing, ESTEC

Transcript to follow.

The Murchison Widefield Array is one of the precursors to the SKA

34:57 - The Sky Net gets an upgrade

Australian radio astronomers are asking volunteers at home to donate computer power to help process their data.

The Sky Net gets an upgrade
with Kirsten Gottschalk, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research

Transcript to follow.

The Apollo-16 astronauts on the surface of the moon

39:20 - Where did the Moon's water come from?

In recent years, its become clear that the Moon has much more water beneath its surface than previously thought. Where did it come from?

Where did the Moon's water come from?
with Jessica Barnes, the Open University

Transcript to follow.

What is the 'background' when measuring using parallax?

Transcript to follow.

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