MarsQuest is organized in five areas:
Introduction to Mars, Canyons, Landing Site, Volcanoes, and North Pole.
INTRODUCTION TO MARS
The two major themes of the exhibition are (A) Mars exploration
and (B) Earth-Mars comparisons. These themes are introduced in
this area. The human story of Mars exploration is told in the
Mars Theater video. Low-tech and high-tech components engage children
and adults as they discover how Mars is similar to and different
from Earth.
CANYONS AREA
Components in this area explore valley formation and the use of
scientific tools. Visitors can make three-dimensional
images of Mars using a laser altimeter. The Fog Basin interactive allows
visitors to play with fog and at the same time learn that fog
occurs on Mars, in canyons like the Vallis Marineris. Visitors
can view under polarizing light a thin section of the Zagami meteorite,
one of only a handful of meteorites found on earth that scientists believe
came from Mars.
While Mars is now dry, some of its features suggest that a flood
once ravaged the area of Mars called Ares Vallis. For example, this broad plain is studded
with geologically diverse rocks that floodwaters probably moved
there from remote locations. The area is an ideal place for surface
exploration vehicles, such as the Sojourner rover that was part
of the Pathfinder mission.
The Gusev crater is introduced here, the landing site of the
Spirit Mars Exploration Rover. At the Rover Test Bed, visitors
are able to drive a model rover over simulated Martian terrain
by uploading a series of commands to the rover's computer—the
same process used by NASA scientists with the real rovers. Mars
weather is featured, with its wispy dust devils and global dust
storms. Visitors can make their own dust devil, and a computer
station allows them to compare the average weather conditions
at the hosting science center to the weather conditions at Gusev
crater.
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