[meteorite-list] Programs Will Share Excitement of Mars Rovers

[Ron Baalke]

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109  TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov 

Guy Webster (818) 354-6278

News Release: 2005-078 			May 18, 2005

Programs Will Share Excitement of Mars Rovers 

Two free public programs in Pasadena this week will 
offer a mission leader's account of the continuing 
Mars adventures of the rovers Spirit and Opportunity. 

Dr. Joy Crisp, a geologist with NASA's Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., will present an 
illustrated talk about the twin rovers' challenges 
and discoveries on Thursday evening, May 19, at JPL 
and on Friday evening, May 20, at Pasadena City 
College. She has been the project scientist for NASA's 
Mars Exploration Rover Project throughout the project's 
development and operations. 

Spirit and Opportunity have continued exploring farther 
and farther from their landing sites in more than a year 
of extended missions after successfully completing their 
primary three-month missions more than a year ago. These 
robotic field geologists gave a dramatic answer of yes to 
the question of whether Mars has ever had a wet 
environment. Opportunity found evidence of an ancient body 
of water and Spirit has found rocks extensively altered by 
exposure to water. 

Prior to the Mars Exploration Rover mission, Crisp worked 
on NASA's Mars Pathfinder mission and on studies of Earth's 
volcanoes.  A Colorado native, she holds a bachelor's degree 
in geology from Carleton College, Northfield, Minn., and a 
Ph.D. in geology from Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.

Both lectures will begin at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come, 
first-served. The Thursday lecture will be in JPL's von 
Karman Auditorium. JPL is at 4800 Oak Grove Dr., off the 
Oak Grove Drive exit of the 210 (Foothill) Freeway. The 
Friday lecture will be in Pasadena City College's Vosloh 
Forum, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd. For more information, call 
(818) 354-0112.  Thursday's lecture will be webcast live at 
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/may05.cfm .

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