Mars Presentation - May 7 in Ballston

WHAT: Mars — Got Life? WHO: Presented by Dr. Jim Green, Planetary Science Division Director, NASA ABOUT THE TOPIC: The planet Mars has captured our imagination for millennium but it has only been relatively recent that we have been able to unlock some of its real secrets. In the last 50 years, there have been 40 missions to Mars with over 60% failing to accomplish their science objectives. Starting in 2000, NASA embarked on a "follow the water" strategy for a string of tremendously successful missions of Mars orbiters, landers and rovers. These missions have made measurements that clearly show that Mars held a significant amount of water in its distant past. Even today we have indications that Mars holds significant water reserves below its surface. On Earth, where there is water, there is life. With the successful landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars, we start a new era of missions that involve "seeking the signs of life." Curiosity is working flawlessly and has started on a two-year mission that will investigate the question of whether Mars was ever habitable. As we look further into the future, the ultimate goal of NASA’s human exploration program is Mars and that will require an integrated approach of science and engineering with great challenges ahead. WHEN: Tuesday, May 7, 2013, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. Café Scientifique events are held on the first Tuesday of each month unless otherwise noted. WHERE: The atrium of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Building and The Front Page restaurant, near Ballston Metro. Located at 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22203 on the ground floor of the National Science Foundation (NSF) building. Parking is available under the NSF building or at Ballston Common Mall. HOW: Register online now Café Scientifique is free and open to the public. Please come early to order table service and socialize. Special half-price burgers start at 5:30 p.m. Presentation begins at 6:15 p.m. followed by Q&A. No science background required – only an interest! Registration requested. SUPPORT THIS CAFÉ: The Ballston Science and Technology Alliance, a nonprofit organization, is the sponsor of Café Scientifique Arlington. Since April 2006, the goal of Café Scientifique has been to make science more accessible and accountable by featuring speakers whose expertise spans the sciences and who can talk in plain English. Please go to www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/bsta and contribute. Help keep Café Scientifique open and free to all! UPCOMING EVENTS: Tuesday, June 4, 2013 – "How to live on Mars" presented by Douglas Gage, XPM Technologies. For more information, contact Kaye Breen at ballstonscience@yahoo.com Visit us at http://www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/bsta Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sciencecafeva Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BallstonScience Read our blog at http://bsta.wordpress.com