NICOSIA, Nov 28, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – International and Cypriot experts on
Friday discussed a research project to test space equipment on the
Mediterranean island before sending it to Mars to measure the age of its
rocks, officials said.
Planetologists and geologists arrived in Cyprus earlier this month to test
out the equipment in the Troodos mountains, which officials say has
geological similarities with the red planet.
The project is funded by the European Commission and on Friday a first
meeting involving the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) and the
Geological Surveys Department got underway.
“The meeting discussed the objectives of the international space
programme, the geological needs and the most suitable locations for the
project,” the government’s Geological Survey Department said.
The rock-measuring project is “very innovative since there are no previous
accurate measurements of the age of the rocks of Mars from previous
missions”, it added in a statement.
It noted however that “the geology of the Troodos Mountains has a lot in
common with the rocks of Mars”.
Acting director of the Geological Survey Department, Christodoulos
Hadjigeorgiou, said Friday’s meeting went well with local know-how of the
landscape offered to international scientists.
The CSEO is taking part in a major international research project on Mars,
in collaboration with three other European countries as well as the United
States.
CSEO head George Danos said the space project “highlights once again the
uniqueness of our country’s geology, which can help prepare space missions to
other celestial bodies”.
“Through this cooperation we will create new jobs for scientists in our
country and new research projects in collaboration with international space
agencies,” he added.