WORLD FIRST MARSLINK MISSION
UPDATE - 2003
by Dr. Dana M. Barry
Dr. Dana M. Barry’s World First MarsLink team has made much progress. Dr. Barry (of Clarkson University - U.S.A. & External Professor for Ansted University - Malaysia) has an international team with members from the U.S.A. and Malaysia. Her Mission is supported by NASA and Space Explorers, Inc. and sponsored by the Northern New York Section of the American Chemical Society.
Malaysia
The MarsLink team members in Malaysia are students at Ansted University and St. Xavier’s Institution. They belong to an Astronomy Club, which is advised by Dr. Chong Hon Yew. Dr. Chong and the team members continue to hold monthly star-gazing sessions and other space-related activities, at the University of the Sciences in Malaysia and at the Island Plaza shopping complex in Penang. They use telescopes to view and study the Moon, the planets and the constellations. The team members have encouraged the general public to also participate in these exciting activities. In addition, the Malaysian government has allocated funds for a new building to be used for astronomy and space-related studies in Malaysia.
Baron Sir Professor Dr. Roger Haw, Founding Member of Ansted University, is a coordinator and the main contact person for the MarsLink team members in Malaysia. He provides continuous support and encourages the team to actively participate in MarsLink activities and projects.
U.S.A.
| The MarsLink team members at Norwood Norfolk Central School (in Norwood, New York) belong to a science club. They are highly motivated and individually analyze incoming data from Mars and carry out the activities available at the MarsLink website. The students record their results in notebooks and share them with others. Team advisers are the science teachers Mr. David Lennox and Mr. Darin Saiff. |
Student investigates the magnetic properties of iron. |
| Team participants from St. Mary’s School (in Canton, New York) carried out MarsLink projects with assistance from Dr. Dana Barry. See photos. The School’s team advisers are Mr. B.J. Bell (a sixth grade teacher) and Ms. Cindy Niles (a fifth grade teacher). These students analyzed charts and incoming data from Mars and performed activities provided at the MarsLink website. They also signed up for participation in the Mars Exploration Rover 2003 Mission. |
Students discover that hydrophobic sand remains dry in water. |
In addition they examined elements abundant in Martian soil. Iron (Fe) makes up about 12% - 15% of the soil. It is a good building material and causes the planet’s reddish color. The students determined the physical properties (ex.: color, shape, and magnetic properties) of iron.
The soil of Mars is very dry and resembles dusty sand. Sand (silicon dioxide) actually contains the Martian soil elements silicon and oxygen. Silicon (about 18% - 25% of the Martian soil) is used in computer chips and oxygen (about 40% - 45% of the Martian soil) is used for breathing and for the synthesis of water. The team members carried out an exciting hands-on activity to examine a special type of sand - "Hydrophobic Sand." This is ordinary sand that has been coated with a silicon compound. The students determined the physical properties of the sand and investigated its interaction with water.
MarsLink Project Publication
Barry, Dana M., "Mars Exploration Overview: As Seen By A Chemist / Chemistry Educator," The Chemist, (Summer 2002).
More from Dr. Barry.
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