Michigan Theater Ann Arbor, MI
Dr. Nilton Renno
Professor of Atmospheric and Space Sciences, University of Michigan
Robinson Crusoe on Mars— The Mars Rover Landing
Program Description
Dr. Nilton Renno discussed the Mars Rover landing, illustrated with live video footage.
Presented At
Michigan Theater Ann Arbor, MI
Film Synopsis
Stranded on Mars with only a monkey as a companion, an astronaut must figure out how to find oxygen, water, and food on the lifeless planet.
Spun from Daniel DeFoe's tale of the titular character, Commander Chris Draper (Paul Mantee) and Colonel Dan McReady (Adam West) are orbiting Mars in an exploratory surveyor. A malfunction forces them to eject, with only Draper and a monkey named Mona making it out alive. The two safely land on Mars and must figure out how to breathe, drink, and eat on the hostile planet. After some time, Draper crosses paths with a human, Friday (Victor Lundin), who has recently escaped slavery on an alien planet. As the two find a means of communication, they become friends, and work together to survive incredible odds.
About the Speaker
Dr. Nilton Renno is a professor of atmospheric and space sciences at the University of Michigan and one of the scientists of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory. In 2008, Dr. Renno led the team that discovered liquid water on Mars; now he's one of the scientists working with the Curiosity Rover, part of the Mars Science Laboratory that is following the signs of water to search for evidence of the building blocks of life on Mars.