CLIFFORD — Dr. Cary Bridge, an astrophysicist and scientific systems engineer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in Pasadena, California, has spent a lifetime trying to find out if there is life beyond Earth.
Dr Bridge passionately explained his work to over 250 people in a presentation at the Clifford Community Center organized by the Clifford Rotary Club. The presentation includes her role in studying Mars with the Curiosity Rover.
The Curiosity Rover is a third-generation car-sized rover designed to explore Gale Crater on Mars by analyzing samples of rock, soil and air.
The event was also attended by the Mayor and City of Minto Councillors, Wellington District Councilor Dave Anderson, MPP Matthew Ray and Rotarians from Clifford, Weirton, Mildmay and Walkerton.
Dr Bridge explained that Mars is currently a cold and inhospitable planet, but three to four billion years ago the planet had Earth-like lakes.
The Curiosity rover set out to answer the question: Did Mars ever have the right environmental conditions to support tiny life forms called microbes?
The rover has the ability to determine time, remove material from specimens, and has a sampling scoop and multiple cameras, allowing it to take selfies and analyze samples.
The Curiosity rover has been exploring almost ten years after landing on Mars.
Some key findings include:
– rounded pebbles that were probably made of water and transported by a stream up to 15 miles;
– Gale Crater had the ability to support life;
– there have been lakes in Gale Crater for millions of years; and
– Mars was habitable and could have supported life three or four billion years ago.
Dr. Bridge answered questions and described future planned NASA missions to explore Jupiter, Venus, an asteroid named Psyche that lies between Mars and Jupiter, and further exploration of Mars.
Dr. Bridge was honored to participate and thanked the community.
The event was free, but attendees donated over $2,000 to support Ukraine.
Clifford Presentation – Dr. Carrie Bridge with her parents and Clifford Rotarians. From left: front, Minto Mayor George Bridge, Dr. Carrie Bridge, Sue Bridge and Randy Ruetz; back, Larry Grummett, Karen Dowler, Carol Ann Rams, Al Rams, Sharon Kaufman, Bruce Kaufman and Trish Ruetz. Photo sent
Dr. Carrie Bridge grew up in southwestern Ontario, has a PhD in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of Toronto, postdoctoral research at Caltech, and currently holds several positions at NASA, including Science Operations Team Leader for the Mars Curiosity Rover and Manager in planning science. She is the daughter of Minto Mayor George Bridge and Sue Bridge.
For more information about the Mars exploration program, the Mars Curiosity Rover, the route of travel and the research sites, visit mars.nasa.gov/msl/home/.
– Submitted by Susan Thurston
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