BD wrote:
Also, NASA is finally considering sending a life science lander in 2003.

Alex writes:
Try 2009 or 2011 at the earliest, and probably even later.

BD says: I gues we are both wrong JPL news release says 2008. Here tis:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/2002/release_2002_219.cfm

BD wrote:
You know who Drs. David McKay and David Warmflash are hopefully? They have published at the last LPI and SPIE...

Alex writes:
Yes, but LPSC abstracts are not peer-reviewed, nor, if I recall correctly, are SPIE abstracts. Anyone can submit abstracts (as long as they are topical) to the former.

Barry says: I have not read any LPI or SPIE abstracts by Hoagland or Don for that matter. How come? If anyone can do it, why don''t we see more Face On Mars abstracts etc? If they are not suitable for viable scientific consideration, then why hold these large conferences in the first place?

Alex wrote:
Wrong, one of the cameras in the MGS Mars Orbiter Camera WA system is optimized in the blue portion of the spectrum (400-450 nm bandpass).

BD says: From MSSS:

"To create the color picture seen here, we have taken much lower resolution red and blue images acquired by the MOC's wide angle cameras, synthesized a green image by averaging red and blue, and created a palette of colors that represent the range of colors on Mars. We then use a relationship that correlates color and brightness to assign a color to each gray level. This is only a crude approximation of martian color and should only be considered representative of Mars. It is likely the colors would not look this vivid to a human observer at Mars. "

BD says: I stand corrected. It is the green primary color filter MGS lacks. The point is it had to be synthesized. Why not include all three primary colors in the first place? Why does the Beagle 2 team think it is important to include RGB?

BD wrote:
It looks like the Odyssey image also used a violet (instead of blue) filter for its 1st publically release color image (comments?):

http://themis.asu.edu/zoom-20021210a.html

Alex writes:
Click here for the 2001 Mars Odyssey THEMIS IRS and VIS bandpasses.

BD says: I was referring to the color image posted at the THEMIS site this week. Looks like their attempt at a first true color image. What is your anlaysis Alex - is the image RGB or not?