NASA and Microsoft Allow Earthlings to Become Martians

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PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA and Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash., have
collaborated to create a Web site where Internet users can have fun
while advancing their knowledge of Mars.

Drawing on observations from NASA's Mars missions, the "Be a Martian"
Web site will enable the public to participate as citizen scientists
to improve Martian maps, take part in research tasks, and assist Mars
science teams studying data about the Red Planet.

"We're at a point in history where everyone can be an explorer," said
Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA
Headquarters in Washington. "With so much data coming back from Mars
missions that are accessible by all, exploring Mars has become a
shared human endeavor. People worldwide can expand the specialized
efforts of a few hundred Mars mission team members and make authentic
contributions of their own."

Participants will be able to explore details of the solar system's
grandest canyon, which resides on Mars. Users can call up images in
the Valles Marineris canyon before moving on to chart the entire Red
Planet. The collaboration of thousands of participants could assist
scientists in producing far better maps, smoother zoom-in views, and
make for easier interpretation of Martian surface changes.

By counting craters, the public also may help scientists determine the
relative ages of small regions on Mars. In the past, counting Martian
craters has posed a challenge because of the vast numbers involved.
By contributing, Web site users will win game points assigned to a
robotic animal avatar they select.

With a common goal of inspiring digital-age workforce development and
life-long learning in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics, NASA and Microsoft unveiled the Web site at the
Microsoft Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles this
week. The site also beckons software developers to win prizes for
creating tools that provide access to and analysis of hundreds of
thousands of Mars images for online, classroom and Mars mission team
use.

"Industry leaders like NASA and Microsoft have a social responsibility
as well as a vested interest in advancing science and technology
education," said Walid Abu-Hadba, corporate vice president of the
Developer and Platform Evangelism Group at Microsoft. "We are excited
to be working with NASA to provide new opportunities to engage with
Mars mission data, and to help spark interest and excitement among
the next generation of scientists and technologists."

To encourage more public participation, the site also provides a
virtual town hall forum where users can expand their knowledge by
proposing Mars questions and voting on which are the most interesting
to the community. Online talks by Mars experts will address some of
the submitted questions. Other features include interactive tools for
viewing Martian regions and movies about people who study Mars in
diverse ways.

"Mars exploration inspires people of all ages, and we are especially
eager to encourage young people to explore Mars for themselves," said
Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
Pasadena, Calif. "We are delighted to be involved in providing the
creative opportunity for future explorers to contribute to our
understanding of Mars."

"The beauty of this type of experience is that it not only teaches
people about Mars and the work NASA is doing there, but it also
engages large groups of people to help solve real challenges that
computers cannot solve by themselves," said Marc Mercuri, director of
business innovation in the Developer and Platform Evangelism Group at
Microsoft.

The Mars Exploration Program is managed by JPL for NASA's Science
Mission Directorate in Washington.

To enroll as a virtual Martian citizen and start exploring, visit:

http://beamartian.jpl.nasa.gov

Source: NASA