Regardless of President Obama's performance in this November's election, his legacy as commander in chief will continue, on Mars that is. NASA's Curiosity rover sports a plaque with the signatures of Obama, Vice President Biden, and the space exploration crew that worked on the program.
According to the Christian Science Monitor, the plaque is "made of anodized aluminum, measuring 3.94 inches (100 mm) high by 3.23 inches (82 mm) wide. It's attached to the front left side of Curiosity's deck with four bolts." NASA has released a picture of the historic plaque, which Curiosity took with the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on September 19.
Most recently, Curiosity tested out its Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (AXPS), alongside the previously mentioned MAHLI.
Curiosity's final destination is Glenelg, which resides at the base of Mount Sharp. Space.com notes that Sharp is a 3.4 mile-high mountain. The site also explains that "Mars-orbiting spacecraft have spotted signs that Mount Sharp's foothills were exposed to liquid water long ago."
Latinos Post has collected all of the names found on the plaque, featured below.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Edward J. Weller, Mars Science Lab Program Executive David Lavery, Mars Exploration Program Director Doug McCuistion, Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John P. Holdren, Mars Exploration Program Scientist Michael Meyer, and Planetary Sciences Division Director James Green.
This is an exciting time for science, with new discoveries being made on a daily basis. Latinos Post will keep you updated on the latest of Curiosity's endeavors as they occur.
Rover Report (September 20, 2012)