NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Planetary surface robot work crew at the Ames Research Center in California

Explore the geological wonders of the Rio Tinto (the Red Tinted River) of Southern Spain - considered by scientists to be comparable to the conditions on Mars. Learn the challenges and techniques of discovering subsurface life within the Rio Tinto area in the Iberian Pyrite Belt.

Scientists involved in the Mars Ground Truth Drilling Team will share their experiences in eight Web cast lectures. The lectures, available in both English and Spanish, will begin on September 29 and continue through October 15, 2003. All will be conducted live from Rio Tinto, Spain. A bonus lecture will discuss communication technology NASA used to connect this remote site to the United States and Spain.

San Jose State University's Department of Technology in the College of Engineering, in partnership with NASA's Robotics Education Project, is offering one University semester credit for this class titled, Individual Studies in Technology Issues.

Web cast Schedule:
Monday, September 29
Dr. Carol Stoker: Mission to Mars, The Marte Project, and an Introduction to Rio Tinto, Spain

Wednesday, October 1
Dr. Ricardo Amils: The Wonders of a Mars Analog: Biology at Rio Tinto

Friday, October 3
Todd Stevens: Subsurface Life

Monday, October 6
David Fernandez Remolar: Spain's Iberian Pyrite Belt

Wednesday, October 8
Dr. Brian Glass: Issues and Challenges for Robotics Drilling

Friday, October 10
Javier Gomez Elvira: Drilling on Mars

Monday, October 13
Kennda Lynch: Sample Handling While Searching for Life

Wednesday, October 15
Victor Parro: Molecular Biology techniques for discovering life on Mars


For more information on the course, visit:
http://robotics.nasa.gov/courses/fall2003/index.php

To register for course credit, visit:
http://robotics.nasa.gov/courses/fall2003/credit.php

To register to audit the class with no credit, visit:
http://robotics.nasa.gov/courses/fall2003/audit.php


Students may view the Web casts without registering.

Ames Research Center