Why wont NASA send a probe to the icecapes on mars?

[Lord Hakk]

I mean, couldnt there be frozen life there? or maybe even life that still exists......

[Roadam]

Who said that? Maybe they wont send it this year. Patience man, patience. The already have full plans for next 10 years becouse of that new vision plan.

[Lord Hakk]

Originally Posted by Roadam

Who said that? Maybe they wont send it this year. Patience man, patience. The already have full plans for next 10 years becouse of that new vision plan.

you lost me, what new vison plan?

[Janus]

Originally Posted by Lord Hakk

I mean, couldnt there be frozen life there? or maybe even life that still exists......

Um, they already did.

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msp98/lander/mission.html

Unfortunately, they lost contact with it.

The reason they haven't tried again is that the whole exploration program is planned out in advance and it takes years from inception to launch. Plus a limited budget doesn't allow for "do overs". If a mission fails, you just swtich your attention to the next mission in line. Maybe you'll be able to plan a new mission to take the place for the one that failed, but it will have to wait its turn.

[Pyrotex]

Originally Posted by Lord Hakk

you lost me, what new vison plan?

It's George W. Bush's "I'm just like Jack Kennedy" New Vision plan for the space program. This includes:

Terminating the Space Shuttle as soon as it has completed the Space Station (ISS).

Terminating the Space Station a few years later.

Designing new launch boosters (and a heavy booster) based extensively on Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) technology, The Shuttle External Tank (ET), and the Shuttle Main Rocket Engines (SRME).

Designing a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) for carrying people into space and returning them to Earth. It will look like an Apollo "capsule" on steroids, capable of carrying either 4 or 5 people, and attached to a module that contains two weeks of air, water and other consummables. Power will be supplied by fuel cell and folding solar arrays.

Designing a transportation system to carry men (in their CEVs) to the Moon where they can build a "base". At first, the president implied this would be a permanent facility, but over the last coupla years, it has "shrunk". It looks now like it will wind up supporting 3 or 4 brief Apollo-style "dashes" to the Moon: grab some rocks, take some pics and haul ass back home.

[Roadam]

What is easier develop your space technology on earth or directly with trial and error on the moon?

If there is life on polar caps on mars, it would be the biggest discovery in last couple of decades. And as long as there is a possibility, they will send a probe there eventually. And what makes this probe more costly to build is that yopu have to make sure that you dont bring some earth bacterias with you.
What would be the consequencs if there is a life on mars? Who knows, maybe teraforming process wont take that long, if we would ever start it.

[haloman]

The first thing is it is very hard to get as much sun on the top of mars compared to the equator so thats were they focus their missions on right now plus with the inpact it would be hard to keep it on the ice. Further more they don't know if the ice is jagged at the top of it were they would land and it is not easy to let out a parashute in -100 farenhight and the thrusters might get iced up and many other malfunctions are more likely to happen.