Ep001:
Mars, Lasers and the Search for Alien Life
Dr. Nina Lanza is a planetary scientist who leads the laser instrument on NASA’s Curiosity rover — literally shooting rocks on Mars to uncover its secrets. In this episode, she shares how a space-obsessed kid with average grades ended up working on one of the most ambitious missions in space exploration.
From the nerve-racking “seven minutes of terror” during Curiosity’s landing to the thrill of searching for ancient life, Nina gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it really means to explore another planet — and why relentless curiosity can take you further than you think.
Stills from Nina taken from the documentary series "Lift the Ice" available on Curiosity Stream. Nina was the lead contributor on the episode "The Ice is Alien", and she travelled to Axel Heiberg Island in Canada in search of extreme forms of life.
Links and Info
Nina's Website - https://www.ninalanza.com/
Follow Nina on Instagram @vermillionplanet - https://www.instagram.com/vermillionplanet/?hl=en
Nina leads the Curiosity Rover's ChemCam instrument - https://www.msl-chemcam.com/
Mars Sample Return (NASA) - https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-sample-return/
Mars Sample Return (ESA) - https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Exploration/Mars_sample_return
Careers at NASA - https://www.nasa.gov/careers/
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