Mass Effect 2: Complete Guide To Scanning Planets

Scanning planets is an important part of progressing through Mass Effect 2. Here's all you need to know about the process.

One of the very few lowlights among fans of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the planet scanning that occurs during the second installation. It's time-consuming, uneventful, and it's not much of a minigame. Unfortunately, getting the best ending requires spending time performing the activity, which can make gamers feel like quitting as soon as they're free to roam the galaxy.

RELATED: Mass Effect 2: Can You Hide Your Helmet?

It doesn't have to be this way; in fact, with the right knowledge and tactics, Shepard can be 100% done scanning for minerals in under an hour. Players often overuse their scanner, backtrack their progress, or inefficiently search for minerals. By following a few basic steps, gamers can get all they need in Mass Effect Legendary Edition quickly so they can move on with the game.

Updated on January 7th, 2022 by Hodey Johns: Planet scanning is still just as controversial as ever. Some find it to be an enjoyable way to spend time while others pray for the process to end so that they can get on with the game. Regardless of which camp gamers fall in, there are definitive best practices for scanning as well as a moment where players should not scan again (except for missions). In order to help players better gather minerals, this guide has been updated with a list of planets to scan for specific resources to save a little bit of time searching around.

Best Practices

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Perfect Scanning Pattern

Find a planet to harvest. While slowly rotating the planet to the right, move the scanner all the way to the north and south poles . When the scanner starts to spike (gamers using a controller will feel a vibration), there's a mineral node nearby.

RELATED: Mass Effect 2: Should Someone Hold The Door?

Briefly stop rotating the planet around. Locate the spot with the highest peak of resources (some spots will have two resources to gather), then fire a probe . The higher the peak, the more resources will be acquired.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Minimum Resource To Launch Probe At

Do not fire at every peak . This is a recipe for going broke and there are more than enough mineral nodes in the galaxy. Some good advice is not to fire a probe unless the mineral node is higher than four or five bars up .

After firing a probe, renew the process of going up and down while slowly scrolling until coming across another probe location; this means the planet has already been scanned all over.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Not Mining Depleted Planets

Yes, it's still possible to miss a few nodes, but don't bother searching for more unless the planet has moderate or greater resources still remaining. Depleted planets can not justify the cost of firing probes.

Lastly, keep track of planets that have been scanned fully, either by writing them down or by pledging to fully scan each planet that has been visited. Players who visit every planet but don't remember which ones have been scanned will have to revisit all of them.

Nabbing The Upgrades

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Talking To Miranda In Alternate Uniform

Mordin Solus is required to complete any upgrades, so take the Illusive Man's advice and recruit him as soon as possible. Thane Krios will double the number of probes that can be carried on scanning expeditions with his Modular Probe Bay upgrade.

RELATED: Mass Effect 2: Where To Find The Security Terminals On Illium

Secondarily, Samara can give Shepard the Extended Fuel Cells upgrade for an additional 50% fuel to make each expedition away from the Fuel Depot more efficient. And Miranda offers the Advanced Mineral Scanner which speeds up the speed at which the scanner can scroll over a planet .

When To Stop Scanning

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Looking At Researched Upgrades

Money/Credits are far more important than resources . Players will easily be able to get all of the resources they need after a few planets, but they will run out of money if they try to get every resource in the universe or deplete every planet .

There is a threshold after which it is no longer necessary to keep gathering resources . To get every single upgrade and research project in the game done, players will need no more than:

  • 237,500 Palladium
  • 305,000 Platinum
  • 242,500 Iridium
  • 35,000 Element Zero

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Keeping Track Of Total Resources

Each bonus training requires 5,000 more of each resource and retraining takes an additional 2,500 of each . So it's alright to get a few more of each, but not too many more.

These numbers do not factor in what can be gathered on ground missions , so anything gathered on the ground can be considered a bonus. Extra resources can provide a war asset bonus in the conclusion of the trilogy (up to 100 points), but the exact quantity changes based on minerals surveyed in the initial game. Generally speaking, having an extra 100,000 of each should be more than enough to get the maximum bonus.

Planets Worth Scanning

Mass Effect 2 Side View Of The Normandy

Looking for even more specifics? Gamers could tear apart the galaxy trying to scan everything or simply visit these. Every planet on this list is rich in resources and, if players scan each one, they'll have all the resources they could ever need .

Planets Rich In Palladium

Mass Effect 2 Normandy Flying Through A Debris Field

Planets Rich In Platinum

Mass Effect 2 Normandy Caught In An Explosion

Planets Rich In Iridium

Mass Effect 2 Normandy In Space When The Collectors Arrive

Planets Rich In Element Zero

Mass Effect 2 Reuniting With Joker After Meeting The Illusive Man

Happy scanning!

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was released on May 14th, 2021, and is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

MORE: Mass Effect 2: Endings Explained

Mass Effect 2 Assignments - every side quest & how to trigger them

Mass Effect 2 is a far more streamlined game than its predecessor, but it still has aspirations of being a traditional, full-fat RPG - and that means there’s a bunch of side quests and optional missions which take the form of Assignments , just as they did in the previous game.

In ME2, assignments are generally a lot more simple and fall into two basic categories. First, there are missions that involve talking - to resolve a situation, to buy an item, etcetera. Second, there are missions where you’ll find an item during a story mission (such as a recruitment or loyalty quest) and must return it to the correct NPC. Finally, there are combat-focused side missions where you get into a scrap and fight your way through.

The entire game has been streamlined, meaning this guide isn’t quite as complicated as our ME1 assignments list - however, there’s still assignments here that can have consequences in Mass Effect 3 if undertaken - and the rewards are valuable in your main story quest, too - with credits and resources gained valuable for getting the best weapons & ship upgrades to survive the suicide mission .

This page lists every assignment in Mass Effect 2 , broken up into a few simple sections, based on where you are in the game and when the quests unlock:

  • Act 1 Assignments
  • DLC Side Quests & when to play them
  • Act 2 Assignments

mass_effect_2_assignments_side_quest_list_quests_assignment.jpg

Mass Effect 2 Assignments - Act 1 side quests

Here’s all of the assignments and side quests that can be triggered in ME2 in the first ‘act’ of the game - so after Freedom’s Progress and getting the Normandy, but before the next compulsory story mission on Horizon. First, the assignments on planets and major locations:

  • Normandy: FBA Couplings - talk to Ken and Gabby, the Normandy’s engineers, down on the engineering deck. They’ll ask for these. You can buy them cheaply from Kenn’s Salvage on Omega. Can result in unique ambient dialogue in ME3 if completed.
  • Normandy: Serrice Ice Brandy - talk to Chakwas on the Normandy Crew Quarters deck, in the med bay. You can buy the item you need in the various bars across the world; the Citadel’s Dark Star Lounge, Afterlife on Omega, and from shops on Tuchanka or Illium. You only need to buy it once.
  • Normandy: Special Ingredients - talk to Mess Sergeant Gardner on the Normandy Crew Quarters deck. Buy the item from Zakera Cafe on the Citadel.
  • Citadel: Crime in Progress - interrupt a conversation between a Quarian, Volus, & Human on the Citadel Wards, Level 26. Find the chit at Saronis Applications store nearby.
  • Citadel: Krogan Sushi - overhear two Krogan arguing on the Citadel Wards Level 27. Talk to the Turian groundskeeper inside the Dark Star Lounge club nearby. Either tell the Krogan the truth, or buy a fish from the Souvenirs store to give to them to lie.
  • Omega: Archangel: Datapad Recovered - pick up a datapad during the Archangel recruitment mission. Hand it over to Aria in Afterlife on Omega.
  • Omega: Batarian Bartender - downstairs in Afterlife, order a drink from the Batarian Bartender. Choose how to deal with him.
  • Omega: Struggling Quarian - speak to Kenn the Quarian at Kenn’s Salvage shop. Either pay his way, or help him another way.
  • Omega: The Patriarch - after completing one or both recruitment missions on Omega, talk to Grizz the Turian bodyguard of Aria, near her private booth. Find the Patriarch downstairs. The neutral route gets less rewards; go for Paragon or Renegade.
  • Omega: The Professor : Missing Assistant - automatically mentioned when you first meet Mordin during his recruitment mission. Daniel can be rescued in a side room in the second half of that mission.

These missions unlock at the same time, but at N7 missions, take place on random worlds typically discovered through Planet Scanning:

  • N7: Eclipse Smuggling Depot - either scan the planet Daratar in the Faryar system of the Hourglass Nebula, or get the quest off Aria after completing the Datapad & Patriarch quests on Omega. The credits you get at the end of the mission varies depending on how many crates survive.
  • N7: Lost Operative - scan the planet of Lorek in the Fathar system of the Omega Nebula, or get a message off Cerberus HQ after recruiting Archangel.
  • N7: MSV Estevanico - scan the planet of Zenthu, which is in the Ploitari system of the Hourglass Nebula.
  • N7: Abandoned Research Station then takes place on Jarrahe Station in the Eagle Nebula’s Strabo system.
  • N7: Hahne-Kedar Facility takes you to the planet Capek in the Haskins system of the Titan Nebula.

mass_effect_2_assignments_dlc.jpg

Mass Effect 2 DLC Side Quests & Assignments

There are DLC Missions that are technically side quests, but are significant. Unlike other side missions, we include these in our suggested ME2 mission order - so we suggest you consult that page if you’re struggling to decide when to do them. The other DLC missions not listed here - Kasumi & Zaeed's quests, as well as Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival - are considered main story quests. Again, to know when to do them, see the order guide.

  • Normandy Crash Site - you can do this any time after getting the Normandy. There’s no combat, but some decent rewards - so consider taking it on early.
  • Project Firewalker - this consists of a string of 5 missions; Geth Activity/Incursion, Prothean Ruin, Rosalie Lost, Artifact Collection, and Recover Research Data. You can do these whenever you want, and they’re completely safe to do in the early-game, with no regular combat.
  • Overlord - this DLC consists of 4 stages; Investigate Project Overlord, Atlas Station, Prometheus Station, and Vulcan Station. We suggest you save this string of missions for the second half of the game. 

me2_assignments_side_quests_2.jpg

Mass Effect 2 Assignments - Act 2 & 3 side quests

After a thrilling visit to the planet of Horizon where you meet an old friend and get a far better idea of the threats you’re facing, a bunch more major planets and systems open up in ME2 - bringing with them a wide range of additional side quests. 

First, there’s the quests that take place on the major story planets you can now visit, plus a few extra quests on previously visited worlds:

  • Citadel: Found Forged ID / Citadel: False Positives - this quest can have two names, depending on how you acquire it. Either find the Forged ID as loot during Garrus’ loyalty mission , or overhear chatter between two Asari on the Citadel later in the game. You’ll need to talk to Kalara Tomi and decide what to do, either giving her the ID (if you have it), or going to C-Sec Customs to resolve it verbally. You have more options if you get reinstated as a Spectre. 
  • Omega: Packages for Ish - after Horizon, a Salarian named Ish will appear near the entrance to Omega. He and his companion want you to pick up packages from the Citadel (from near Saronis Applications) and Illium (in Eternity) and deliver them to him.
  • Illium: A Troublemaker / Illium: Conrad Verner - only available if you completed the Citadel: The Fan assignment in ME1, and if you charmed or intimidated Conrad. If so, he’s back on Illium - an Asari outside Eternity gives you the assignment. Depending on the outcome, Conrad can show up in ME3.
  • Illium: Blue Rose of Illium - in the area with the shops, Charr the Krogan is reading out his poetry. Talk to the Asari merchant to start the quest. This has consequences in ME3.
  • Illium: Gianna Parasini - only appears when you import an ME1 save. She appears regardless of if you completed her side mission there or not. Meet Gianna near the entrance to Liara’s office. Drink the beer to get the quest.
  • Illium: Indentured Service - if Conrad Verner is present, you must complete his quest first. Then, there’ll be a Quarian and Asari in Eternity. Decide the Quarian’s fate.
  • Illium: Medical Scans - if they survived, this will be a character from ME1. Regardless, though, you’ll be approached near Illium’s tracking office.
  • Illium: The Assassin: Salarian Family Data - during Thane’s recruitment mission, pick up this datapad to start this mission, then return it to the Salarian in one of Ilium’s hallways. 
  • Illium: The Justicar: Smuggling Evidence - find this datapad during Samara’s recruitment mission. After the fighting is over, you’re returned to the port for a debrief. During this time, before the mission ends, hand the datapad to either Pitne For or Detective Anaya. Anaya gives less of a cash reward, but is the paragon option.
  • Illium: The Justicar: Stolen Goods Found - find the note during Samara’s recruitment mission and choose to upload it. That starts this mission. Back in the Illium hub, you’ll be approached about this.
  • Illium: The Prodigal: Lost Locket Found - when completing Miranda’s loyalty mission , find this locket as loot. Return it to an Asari back on the Illium hub.
  • Tuchanka: Combustion Manifold - talk to the Krogan mechanic, or find the manifold from an upside down vehicle during the mission. 
  • Tuchanka: Killing Pyjaks - talk to Ratch, the shopkeeper, to be challenged to this little tower defense mini-game. 
  • Tuchanka: Old Blood: Missing Scout - before going on Mordin’s loyalty mission , talk to the Chief Scout in the Krogan camp hub area. Rescue the Scout during the loyalty mission.

Beyond this, there are also a new series of N7 missions that unlock once you’ve completed the story mission on Horizon. Again, they’re mostly found through planet scanning:

  • N7: Abandoned Mine - first, you’ll need to buy the Star Charts from Baria Frontiers on Illium. Next, go to the Minos Wasteland cluster’s Fortis system and scan the planet Aequitas. 
  • N7: Anomalous Weather Detected - you’ll need the relevant Star Chat from Baria Frontiers on Illium. Then scan the planet Canalus in the Dirada system of the Pylos Nebula.
  • After completing that, an email will kick off N7: MSV Strontium Mule.
  • Another email then sends you to N7: Blue Suns Base
  • Finally, EDI will point you to N7: Javelin Missiles launched, though you can also trigger this early by just scanning its location (the moon Franklin in the Skepsis system of the Sigurd’s Cradle cluster).
  • This directly leads to the next quest, N7: Blood Pack Communications Relay. You can trigger that mission early by scanning its location - Tarith, in the Lusran system of the Crescent Nebula.
  • N7: Captured Mining Facility - scan the planet Helyme, which is in the Zelene system of the Crescent Nebula cluster.
  • N7: Endangered Research Station - this mission either unlocks after Horizon & completing Project Firewalker: Rosalie Lost, or after the Collector Ship story mission. Scan Taitus, a planet in the Talava system of the Caleston Rift cluster.
  • N7: Imminent Ship Crash - you’ll need another star chart from Baria Frontiers on Illium. The Broken Arrow is a ship found in the Nariph system of the Pylos Nebula, which is unlocked by a chart.
  • N7: Mining the Canyon - this mission either unlocks after Horizon & completing Project Firewalker: Rosalie Lost, or after the Collector Ship story mission. Scan Sinmara, a planet in the Solevig system of the Caleston Rift cluster.
  • N7: Quarian Crash Site - you’ll need a star chart from Baria Frontiers again. Once you have it, scan Gei Hinnom, which is in the Sheol system of the Hades Nexus cluster.
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NASA's Mars mission means crews are needed to simulate life on the Red Planet: How to apply

me2 planet missions

If you are up for a yearlong space mission, then NASA might just have the job for you. 

The space agency said Friday that administrators are seeking applicants for NASA's next research assignment, one that simulates the “challenges of a mission on Mars” as a way to guide future plans for human exploration of the red planet. 

NASA has a total of three “ground-based missions” planned in this controlled environment, making this the second time they have hosted an open call for the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, or CHAPEA for short. 

“With the first CHAPEA crew more than halfway through their yearlong mission, NASA is using research gained through the simulated missions to help inform crew health and performance support during Mars expeditions, the agency said in a release. 

The mission is set to kick off early next year, so be sure to get your application in before NASA’s April 2 deadline.

Here’s how to apply.

What does NASA’s Mars simulation mission entail? 

NASA’s CHAPEA mission participants are set to spend 365 days living and working inside a 3D printed habitat called Mars Dune Alpha at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. 

“Life in Mars Dune Alpha will resemble the expected experience for those living in a future Mars surface habitat. The layout of the 3D printed habitat was designed to provide separate areas within the habitat for living and working,” according to NASA’s website. 

The challenges of a mission on Mars will be simulated through resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays and other environmental stressors in habitat, the agency said. 

The four-person volunteer crew, selected by NASA, are expected to complete a number of tasks, including simulated spacewalks, robotic operations, habitat maintenance, exercise, and crop growth in the 1,700 square foot space. 

Who can apply to be part of NASA’s Mars simulation mission?

NASA has a couple of thoughts on who the best applicants for the job are, saying it is looking for applicants who have “a strong desire for unique, rewarding adventures and interest in contributing to NASA’s work to prepare for the first human journey to Mars.” 

Applicants should also be: 

  • Healthy and motivated U.S. citizens/permanent residents
  • Non-smokers
  • Between 30 and 55 years old
  • Proficient in English for effective communication between crewmates and mission control

That being said, NASA will follow “additional standard criteria for astronaut candidate applicants” for the CHAPEA simulation mission, meaning that interested applicants should also have relevant education and work experience to be considered. 

Additional details on NASA’s applicant criteria can be found on the space agency’s website. 

Compensation for mission participation is available, with additional details set to be provided during the candidate screening process.

How do I apply? 

All you have to do to be considered for NASA’S second Mars simulation mission is submit your online application by Tuesday, April 2. 

NASA warns applicants that the selection process could take anywhere between 12 and 14 months, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear back right away.

The robots are winning: Helldivers 2 players are convinced those new planet defense missions are so difficult they must be bugged

Four hours remain to save Draupnir.

Helldivers 2 best weapons - Soldier with a rocket launcher

Following yesterday's surprise assault on the Xzar system by the Automaton menace, the helldivers are in shambles. Squads are failing Planet Defense campaigns in droves as players complain that the new civilian rescue missions are way too difficult. Helldivers 2's galactic war is changing at a pace we don't usually see in a multiplayer game: As players complete one conquest, developer Arrowhead then triggers new planetary conflicts as lightly narrativized events.

24 hours into the war's new front, a red progress bar that's longer than a blue progress bar suggests the robots are winning. With just four hours remaining on the countdown above the planet Draupnir, Super Earth might suffer its first major loss.

Is a (non-Terminid) bug to blame? Possibly. Just hours after yesterday's robot invasion began, players reported that Extraction missions to safely escort civilians across a battlefield were unusually difficult. They argue that these specific missions, which are required to progress the Major Order objective, are more intense and dense with enemies than the same mission type on other planets. 

"It's harder than all the other levels. Even 9 was easy in comparison," said streamer Gothalion on Twitter.

"I have not completed one extraction mission," wrote Pepinis on Reddit. 

"Recoilless is way too slow, autocannons are too weak, rifles are laughable, orbitals kill the civilians. Huge waste of time," wrote Reddit user Samsquanch-01 , who gave up on attempting extraction missions with random teammates.

I can echo that. Our group has been playing at difficulty levels 4-6 and we immediately noticed a difficulty spike on the Extraction mission type. Bot drops flew in at an alarming rate that outpaced our cooldowns on armor-piercing weapons and stratagems. I've personally never seen more bots on screen than I did last night trying to get just a handful of civilians across the killzone safely. We were eventually able to win one, but only barely, and not before cranking the difficulty down to four.

@strikerx190x ♬ Avatar death song - PlayerH8r

The inconsistency between these Extraction missions and the rest of the game have some convinced that this degree of punishment must be a bug. It does seem unlikely that Arrowhead Games intentionally spiked the difficulty on a single mission type, especially considering the intensity of other mission types on Draupnir and Mantes, like ICBM launch or wave-based survival, is unchanged.

Extraction missions are proving so difficult that, for the first time since launch, players on Reddit are rallying to share specific tips and tricks just to save the bare minimum number of civilians.

User Fit_Assistance_8258 , who says they've completed a bunch of Extraction missions, shared the strategies that worked for their squad (shortened for readability):

  • Don't try to outdamage the armor. You can't. You can't get enough anti tank/anti armor fast enough. You'll get overwhelmed and fail way too early.
  • Instead. Focus on smoke and EMS. You should ALWAYS have smoke up, literally everyone who can take it should take a smoke. 
  • EMS is also key here. If you have the EMS Mortar, it's king shit on this mission. Two EMS Mortars will give you uninterrupted civvie saving.
  • The other huge winner of this mission is the Shields. Shield backpack and Shield pod. Keep a shield backpack on the button presser, let them smoke themselves if need be. 
  • The civvies will die for Super Earth. It's totally fine, you get a ton of req for this mission, so if a few die it's not a huge deal.

Sound advice, especially the suggestion of smoke and EMS. In Helldivers 2's first week that focused on bugs, stratagems that stun or blind enemies didn't seem all that useful when you can just blow them up instead. Now that we're facing waves of bots with heavy armor, the need for delay tactics has come into focus. It's true that you don't necessarily have to kill all the bots, just keep them away from the civilians long enough to meet quota.

Do not do level 6 automaton defense missions in Helldivers, unless you really, really, really want to have a bad time https://t.co/i0ZcT3UGUh pic.twitter.com/0vQhctaXiG February 16, 2024

That's also the advice of user Worried_Lie_7772 , who coordinated with their squad to kite the majority of enemies out of the civilian compound while one stayed behind to escort.

"We waited for bots to mass up and attack us, we found a majority of the bots will arrive near the bigger group of players, once enough bots had arrived, we sent one man toward the evac site to complete the objective, they would still have hostiles dropping on their position, but a puny amount compared to the rest of the squad," they wrote.

This ended up working for us, too. Not everyone made it into the dropship in the end, but all that mattered was that the job was done. Even if Extraction missions are bugged, it's been its own kind of fun working around seemingly impossible odds. As Helldivers 2 enters its second weekend and matchmaking stability remains Arrowhead's chief concern, we may soon find out what it's like to lose a war.

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Morgan has been writing for PC Gamer since 2018, first as a freelancer and currently as a staff writer. He has also appeared on Polygon, Kotaku, Fanbyte, and PCGamesN. Before freelancing, he spent most of high school and all of college writing at small gaming sites that didn't pay him. He's very happy to have a real job now. Morgan is a beat writer following the latest and greatest shooters and the communities that play them. He also writes general news, reviews, features, the occasional guide, and bad jokes in Slack. Twist his arm, and he'll even write about a boring strategy game. Please don't, though.

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How NASA's moon landing with Intuitive Machines will help pave the way for Artemis astronaut missions

The moon presents communications and temperature challenges that NASA needs to overcome.

lander on the surface of the moon in an illustration, with earth in behind

NASA hopes a robotic moon landing this month will help prep the lunar ground for astronauts a few years from now.

Intuitive Machines' Nova-C  moon  lander, named Odysseus after the mythical Trojan War voyager, is scheduled to launch early Wednesday morning (Feb. 14) on a SpaceX  Falcon 9  rocket. 

The Valentine's Day launch will happen from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in coastal Florida. If all goes according to plan, Odysseus will touch down near the moon's south pole on Feb. 22, pulling off the first-ever private lunar landing.

Odysseus' mission, known as IM-1, includes 12 payloads, half commercial and half NASA science packages. NASA is using this research to get ready for the Artemis program missions that will land astronauts near the moon 's south pole, beginning in 2026 or so.

Related: Intuitive Machines moon lander to carry tiny NASA cameras to study lunar surface (video)

IM-1 is part of the series of low-cost private moon missions that include NASA-funded instruments, which are manifested via the agency's Commercial Lunar Payloads Services (CLPS) program. 

Each of these private robotic missions is small in cost individually, with the tradeoff being fewer backup systems in case of trouble. That tradeoff was illustrated vividly by the first CLPS mission, which launched Astrobotic's Peregrine lander last month. Peregrine suffered an anomaly shortly after deploying from its United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket, scuttling its moon dreams . Peregrine ended up coming back home for a controlled destruction in Earth's atmosphere .

Smaller and cheaper missions allow NASA to test technologies faster than traditional mission planning allows for, emphasized Susan Lederer, CLPS project scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, during a teleconference today (Feb. 12). The high risk is worth it, as "this will allow us to prepare for Artemis more efficiently," with more missions launching more frequently, Lederer said.

Another advantage is the proliferation of landing options if multiple CLPS missions succeed: There's "a far greater number of places you can go to on the moon and the diversity of people involved" if lots of CLPS missions reach the surface, Lederer said.

IM-1 will help NASA engineers learn about how to communicate from the moon's south pole, where staying in touch with Earth is a challenge due to our planet being at a "very, very low point on the horizon," Lederer said.

"The communications can kind of bounce along the terrain, coming and going," she added. "So, having a location that's close to the south pole will help us to start investigating those kinds of things that are happening."

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Additionally, IM-1's equipment will be assessed for how well it performs in the harsh cold of the moon, including components such as solar panels and instruments. But even if that mission or some other CLPS landers don't make it, she emphasized, NASA will proceed with plans for its Artemis 3 mission, which aims to land astronauts near the lunar south pole in September 2026.

"It won't endanger efficiency," Lederer said.

The experiments on board IM-1 from NASA include "instruments focusing on plume-surface (dust) interactions, space weather/lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision landing technologies, and a communication and navigation node for future autonomous navigation technologies," the agency's website states .

Editor's note: This story was corrected at 5:15 p.m. ET on Feb. 12 to state that IM-1 will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, not Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

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All Mission Types in Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 is the latest first-person shooter released by PlayStation, and it’s been off to a high flying start on both PS5 and Steam.

One of the aspects of the game is that there are going to be certain missions players can choose from when landing onto a planet.

We’re going to run over all the mission types in Helldivers 2.

me2 planet missions

Helldivers 2 features a ton of destruction within the game, and whether you’re calling down an orbital strike to enemies, or using one of the new weapons you unlocked, something is always being shot at.

However, when landing onto a planet you’re going to want to choose from one of the available missions in the game, as this could make it easier to complete opposed to other ones.

Here’s all the mission types in Helldivers 2.

Defend Freedom Missions

Bug extermination missions, protect liberty missions, destroy automatons operation missions, related posts.

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How to beat Helldivers 2's new defense missions that are so impossibly hard they seem bugged

It's rough out there for the Helldivers, but the Automatons CAN be beaten.

Helldivers 2

What you need to know

  • Helldivers 2's newest Major Order has everyone attempting to defend planets from the fearsome Terminator-like Automaton faction, but the game's new defense missions are so hard that players think they're bugged.
  • The issue with the levels is that they relentlessly spawn in dropships full of enemy units faster than even the best players in the game can destroy them, resulting in the inevitable collapse of defenses.
  • Most are hopeful that Arrowhead will nerf or fix these missions soon, but in the meantime, there are two strategies that will help you achieve victory.
  • One involves the use of Recoilless Rifle rocket launchers against the dropships, while the other aims to slow and blind the Automatons with smoke and EMS crowd control. The text below goes into these tactics in more detail.

During its launch week, Helldivers 2 asked its community to liberate two worlds from hordes of alien Terminid bugs. Now, though, there's a new Major Order directing everyone to staunchly defend several planets from an invasion by the Terminator-like Automatons. To do their part and carry out the order, players will have to complete eight defense campaigns by completing tons of defense missions — including new levels called "Retrieve Essential Personnel" that take place in a small compound and involve providing cover for 30-40 scientists as they load onto a shuttle.

There's just one issue, however: these missions are impossibly hard, to the point where even many of the game's most hardcore players think they're bugged. The top of the Helldivers 2 subreddit is full of memes and posts about their difficulty, with their replies and posts on social media sites like X (Twitter) flooded with comments from fans desperately trying to find an effective strategy.

The ultimate problem with these missions is that they relentlessly spawn dropships full of dozens of Automaton units — a good portion of them armored Scout Striders , Devastators, and, eventually, Hulks — every 15-30 seconds or so, which is enough to quickly overrun even the most defensively equipped and positioned teams. The bots come faster than you can call down automated sentries or anti-armor weaponry to blow them apart, and the only way you can even survive is by running laps around the map until your extraction dropship arrives after the time limit runs out.

I have not completed one extraction mission from r/Helldivers

I love a good challenge, don't get me wrong. But clearly, these levels are either significantly overtuned or outright broken — one fan points out that they could be dropping 40 minutes' worth of robots in 15 , as the mission's timer is shown to be the former but is actually the latter — and there's no way Arrowhead will leave them as is. With that said, my squadmates and I have figured out two strategies that'll make beating the missions much easier (you'll need full four-man teams and VoIP/Discord communication).

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The first method, which is the one I prefer, requires two players to get to the highest position they can and use Recoilless Rifle rocket launchers to target the thrusters of each dropship (the engines on their corners) as they fly in . Hitting them here with a rocket is a one-shot that instantly destroys the dropship as well as all the units they're carrying, and by reloading each other's launchers with support backpacks and using a Resupply stratagem to keep those backpacks stocked with ammo, the rocket team should be able to destroy almost every dropship without trouble. At the same time, the other two players should be directing scientists to the evac zone as quickly as they can, fending off any Automatons that manage to deploy in the base.

You can also beat the missions by using a ton of Eagle and Orbital Smoke Strike stratagems to cover the base in smoke, then calling in EMS Mortar Sentries to hit the bots with crowd control slowdowns . This will effectively blind most Automaton units and slam the brakes on their advance, allowing the scientists to run to their shuttle in relative safety. I find this method to be a bit less reliable since gaps in your smoke cover can lead to a collapse of the situation, but if you've got a very well-coordinated team, it can definitely work.

Regardless of which strategy you're trying, I recommend having everyone also bring along some Machine Gun Sentries and Gatling Sentries if they can . These will help you mow down any Automatons that make it through your rocket defenses or smokescreens, and are particularly helpful for defending Recoilless Rifle duos that need to focus on incoming dropships. Note that Mortar Sentries, which are generally strong against the bots, are a poor choice here since their large explosions will likely kill fellow Helldivers or scientists whenever they fire at enemies that get past the base's perimeter.

Arrowhead will hopefully nerf or patch these insanely hard missions ASAP — I'd love to complete more of them while Helldivers 2's 50% bonus XP and Requisitions weekend is going on — but until it does, these two methods of beating them are your best bet. Good luck, and godspeed. 🫡

Helldivers 2 is available now for $39.99 on both PS5 and PC, and so far, it's one of the  best PC games  of the year. Notably, the game also supports cross-platform play between PS5 and PC. 

Helldivers 2 — $39.99 at GMG (Steam)

Helldivers 2 —  $39.99 at GMG (Steam) Battle aliens, robots, and other beasts in humanity's quest to spread democracy through an unforgiving galaxy. It's 4-player co-op at its absolute best, and its most refined.

Also at:  Amazon (PS5, Physical)  |  Walmart (PS5, Physical)

Super Citizen Edition:  Amazon (PC, Digital)  |  GMG (Steam, PC, Digital)

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  • 5 How to beat Helldivers 2's new defense missions that are so impossibly hard they seem bugged

me2 planet missions

Mass Effect Wiki

  • Mass Effect 2
  • Mass Effect 3
  • Mass Effect: Infiltrator
  • Mass Effect: Andromeda
  • Edit source
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Missions advance the main storyline in Mass Effect , Mass Effect 2 , Mass Effect 3 , Mass Effect: Infiltrator , and Mass Effect: Andromeda . The list contains all of the missions available within the game, and indicates how their names will change as the story progresses. Click on the links below for detailed walkthroughs.

Note: Most mission names below are linked to the relevant section of the walkthrough rather than their own pages. Because of the intertwined nature of most missions, the link may not lead to a section specifically about the mission name but you will certainly find relevant information.

For an alphabetical list of missions see Category:Missions ; for locations see Category:Mission Locations .

  • 1 Mass Effect
  • 2 Mass Effect Galaxy
  • 3.1 Plot missions
  • 3.2 Dossier missions
  • 3.3 Loyalty missions
  • 3.4 Optional missions
  • 3.5 Downloadable Content
  • 4.1 Plot Missions
  • 4.2 Galaxy at War Missions
  • 4.3 Downloadable Content Missions
  • 5.1 Plot Missions
  • 5.2 Bonus Missions
  • 6.1 Priority Ops

Mass Effect [ ]

Missions are listed mostly in the order they are received although some of the name updates happen after you receive another mission. Note that these missions are listed as the initially appear in the Journal , the names of missions do change as the game progresses.

  • Prologue: On the Normandy → Prologue: Find the Beacon
  • Citadel: Garrus
  • Citadel: Shadow Broker → Citadel: Wrex
  • Find Liara T'Soni
  • Feros: Geth Attack
  • Noveria: Lorik Qui'in
  • Noveria: Rift Station
  • Noveria: Quarantine
  • Noveria: The Hot Labs
  • Noveria: Reactor Repair
  • Noveria: Reconnect Landlines
  • Noveria: Contamination
  • Virmire: Saren's Plan
  • Ilos: Find the Conduit
  • Race Against Time

Mass Effect Galaxy [ ]

The following missions represent the plot progression of the game Mass Effect Galaxy . They are sorted by order even if you can sometimes choose via the Galaxy Map which missions you prefer to start.

  • Save the Arcturian Jade
  • Into the Abyss
  • Scum and Villainy
  • A Formula for Hope
  • A Batarian Army
  • Protect the Council

Mass Effect 2 [ ]

Plot missions [ ].

These are the missions corresponding to the main story line, in time order (considering the earliest time you can acquire them). To clarify the time line, the main "Stop the Collectors" mission has been divided into its different sub-parts, as they appear when developing it in the Journal .

  • Prologue: Save Joker
  • Freedom's Progress
  • Stop the Collectors: Assemble a team
  • Omega: Aria T'Loak
  • Stop the Collectors: Go to Horizon
  • Illium: Liara T'Soni
  • Stop the Collectors: Assemble a team (bis)
  • Stop the Collectors: Investigate Collector Ship
  • Collector Ship
  • Stop the Collectors: Acquire Reaper IFF
  • Stop the Collectors: Await IFF Installation
  • Stop the Collectors: Use Omega-4 Relay

Dossier missions [ ]

The Illusive Man provides Commander Shepard with several leads on potential teammates.

Available after completing Freedom's Progress :

  • Dossier: Archangel
  • Dossier: The Convict
  • Dossier: The Professor
  • Dossier: The Warlord → Dr. Okeer's Legacy

Available after completing Horizon :

  • Dossier: Tali
  • Dossier: The Assassin
  • Dossier: The Justicar

Loyalty missions [ ]

Loyalty missions may be skipped. This will not hinder the progression of the main story line. However, you should be aware that doing this could seriously impact the performance of your team and alter the final outcome.

  • Garrus: Eye for an Eye
  • Grunt: Rite of Passage
  • Jack: Subject Zero
  • Jacob: The Gift of Greatness
  • Legion: A House Divided
  • Miranda: The Prodigal
  • Mordin: Old Blood
  • Samara: The Ardat-Yakshi
  • Tali: Treason
  • Thane: Sins of the Father

Optional missions [ ]

  • Citadel: Captain Bailey
  • Citadel: The Council
  • Illium: Liara: System Hacking
  • Tuchanka: Urdnot Wrex

Downloadable Content [ ]

  • Dossier: The Master Thief
  • Dossier: The Veteran
  • Kasumi: Stealing Memory
  • Lair of the Shadow Broker (Labelled Give Liara Intel on the Galaxy Map )
  • Zaeed: The Price of Revenge

Mass Effect 3 [ ]

Mass Effect 3 classifies all journal items as missions. However, they are still categorized according to story relevance and optionality.

Plot Missions [ ]

Missions are listed in the order they are received. The "Priority" missions in this list are mandatory to complete the game; of the two pairs preceding Priority: Tuchanka and Priority: Rannoch you need only complete one of each pair.

  • Prologue: Earth
  • Priority: Mars
  • Priority: The Citadel I
  • Priority: Palaven
  • Priority: Sur'Kesh
  • Attican Traverse: Krogan Team (alternatively named as Attican Traverse: The Rachni )
  • Tuchanka: Turian Platoon
  • Priority: Tuchanka
  • Priority: The Citadel II
  • Priority: Perseus Veil
  • Priority: Geth Dreadnought
  • Rannoch: Admiral Koris
  • Rannoch: Geth Fighter Squadrons
  • Priority: Rannoch
  • Priority: The Citadel III
  • Priority: Thessia
  • Priority: Horizon
  • Priority: Cerberus Headquarters
  • Priority: Earth

Galaxy at War Missions [ ]

None of the following missions are required to complete the game, although they will significantly increase your military preparedness for the final battle.

  • Apien Crest: Banner of the First Regiment (alternatively named as Citadel: Banner of the First Regiment )
  • Aria: Blood Pack
  • Aria: Blue Suns
  • Aria: Eclipse
  • Arrae: Ex-Cerberus Scientists
  • Athena Nebula: Hesperia-Period Statue
  • Benning: Evidence (alternatively named as Benning: Dog Tags )
  • Citadel: Alien Medi-Gel Formula
  • Citadel: Asari Widow
  • Citadel: Barla Von
  • Citadel: Batarian Codes
  • Citadel: Biotic Amp Interfaces
  • Citadel: Cerberus Automated Turret Schematics
  • Citadel: Cerberus Ciphers
  • Citadel: Cerberus Retribution
  • Citadel: Cerberus Turian Poison
  • Citadel: Chemical Treatment
  • Citadel: GX12 Thermal Pipe
  • Citadel: Hanar Diplomat
  • Citadel: Heating Unit Stabilizers
  • Citadel: Improved Power Grid
  • Citadel: Inspirational Stories
  • Citadel: Kakliosaur Fossil
  • Citadel: Krogan Dying Message
  • Citadel: Medi-Gel Sabotage
  • Citadel: Medical Supplies
  • Citadel: Reaper Code Fragments
  • Citadel: Target Jamming Technology
  • Citadel: Volus Ambassador
  • Citadel: Wounded Batarian
  • Dekuuna: Code of the Ancients (alternatively named as Citadel: Code of the Ancients )
  • Dekuuna: Elcor Extraction
  • Grissom Academy: Investigation → Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation
  • Hades Nexus: Obelisk of Karza
  • Hades Nexus: Prothean Sphere
  • Irune: Book of Plenix
  • Ismar Frontier: Prototype Components
  • Kite's Nest: Pillars of Strength (alternatively named as Citadel: Pillars of Strength )
  • Mesana: Distress Signal → Kallini: Ardat-Yakshi Monastery
  • N7: Cerberus Abductions
  • N7: Cerberus Attack
  • N7: Cerberus Fighter Base
  • N7: Cerberus Lab
  • N7: Communication Hub
  • N7: Fuel Reactors
  • Nimbus Cluster: Library of Asha
  • Shrike Abyssal: Prothean Obelisk (alternatively named as Citadel: Prothean Obelisk )
  • Silean Nebula: Rings of Alune
  • Tuchanka: Bomb
  • Valhallan Threshold: Prothean Data Drives

Downloadable Content Missions [ ]

Mass Effect 3: From Ashes

  • Priority: Eden Prime (Labeled on the Galaxy Map as "Recover Prothean Artifact")
  • Eden Prime: Resistance Movement

Mass Effect 3: Leviathan

  • Citadel: Dr. Bryson (Labeled on the Galaxy Map as "Meet Dr. Bryson")
  • Citadel: Leviathan I
  • Leviathan: Find Garneau (Labeled on the Galaxy Map as "Scan for Dr. Garneau")
  • Mahavid: Leviathan
  • Citadel: Leviathan II
  • Leviathan: Find Ann Bryson
  • Namakli: Leviathan
  • Citadel: Leviathan III
  • Leviathan: Scan Locations
  • Despoina: Leviathan

Mass Effect 3: Omega

  • Citadel: Aria T'Loak
  • Omega: Assist the Hacker
  • Omega: Assist the Mechanic
  • Omega: Assist Harrot

Mass Effect 3: Citadel

  • Citadel: Shore Leave
  • Citadel Wards: Ambush
  • Citadel: Identity Theft I
  • Silver Coast Casino: Infiltration
  • Citadel: Identity Theft II
  • Citadel Archives: Escape
  • Citadel Docks: Retake the Normandy
  • Citadel: Party
  • Citadel Arena: Geth Challenge
  • Citadel Arena: Spin Zone Elite Challenge
  • Citadel Arena: Medi-Gel Challenge
  • Citadel Arena: Reaper Solo Challenge
  • Citadel Arena: Thermal Clip Challenge
  • Citadel Arena: Prothean Challenge
  • Citadel Arena: Cerberus Challenge
  • Citadel Arena: Charity Reaper Challenge
  • Citadel Arena: Unusual Scores

Mass Effect: Infiltrator [ ]

  • Medical Bay
  • Security Checkpoint
  • Access Corridor
  • Desert Planet

Bonus Missions [ ]

  • Incarceration

Mass Effect: Andromeda [ ]

Similar to Mass Effect 3, in Mass Effect: Andromeda all journal items are missions and further classified according to story relevance and optionality. The mandatory missions are called Priority Ops . These are main story missions and are required to complete the game.

Priority Ops [ ]

  • Prologue: Hyperion
  • Nexus Reunion
  • First Strike
  • A Better Beginning
  • AVP Cryo Deployment Perks
  • A Trail of Hope
  • Helping Havarl's Scientists (Priority Ops - Ryder partially completes Meet the Resistance mission arc)
  • Meet the Resistance (Priority Ops - Ryder completes this mission before Helping Havarl's Scientists )
  • On the Frontlines (only exists if Ryder completes Voeld before Havarl)
  • Stage a Rescue (Priority Ops - if started by On the Frontlines )
  • Hunting the Archon
  • Elaaden: A New World
  • H-047c: A New World
  • The Journey to Meridian
  • Meridian: The Way Home
  • Epilogue: Home and Away
  • The World is Waiting
  • Mass Effect
  • 3 Romance (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

' class=

NEWS | February 13, 2024

Team assessing sherloc instrument on nasa's perseverance rover.

NASA’s Perseverance puts its robotic arm to work around a rocky outcrop called

Perseverance Workspace at Skinner Ridge​: NASA’s Perseverance puts its robotic arm to work around a rocky outcrop called "Skinner Ridge" in a set of images captured in June and July 2022 by the rover’s Mastcam-Z camera system. SHERLOC is mounted on the end of the arm. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS. Download image ›

Engineers are working to stabilize a dust cover on one of the science instrument’s cameras .

Data and imagery from NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover indicate one of two covers that keep dust from accumulating on the optics of the SHERLOC instrument remains partially open. In this position, the cover interferes with science data collection operations. Mounted on the rover’s robotic arm, SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) uses cameras, a spectrometer, and a laser to search for organic compounds and minerals that have been altered in watery environments and may be signs of past microbial life.

The mission determined on Jan. 6 that the cover was oriented in such a position that some of its operation modes could not successfully operate . An engineering team has been investigating to determine the root cause and possible solutions. Recently, the cover partially opened. To better understand the behavior of the cover’s motor, the team has been sending commands to the instrument that alter the amount of power being fed to it.

With the cover in its current position, the instrument cannot use its laser on rock targets, and cannot collect spectroscopy data. However, imaging microscopy can still be acquired with WATSON, a color camera on SHERLOC used for taking close-up images of rock grains and surface textures. WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering) operates through a different aperture.

SHERLOC is part of a seven-instrument suite on Perseverance. During development of the mission, the team designed the instrument suite such that the rover could still achieve its science objectives should any single instrument fail, as there is some overlap among the capabilities of the instruments. Along with SHERLOC, PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry) and SuperCam also perform spectroscopy.

Currently making its way to explore an area nicknamed “Beehive Geyser,” the rover marked its 1,000th Martian day, or sol, on the Red Planet on Dec. 12, 2023 – more than 300 sols beyond its initial prime mission. Since the rover’s landing Feb. 18, 2021, SHERLOC has scanned and provided rich data on 34 rock targets, creating a total of 261 hyperspectral maps of those targets. Featuring a radioisotope power system , Perseverance’s design is based on the agency’s Curiosity Mars rover, which is still going strong after more than 11 years (4,000 sols) on the Red Planet.

More About the Mission

A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology , including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith.

Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.

The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.

JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.

For more about Perseverance: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/

News Media Contacts

Karen Fox / Alana Johnson NASA Headquarters, Washington 301-286-6284 / 202-358-1501 [email protected] / [email protected]

DC Agle Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-9011 [email protected]

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Walkthrough

This page of IGN's Mass Effect 2 wiki guide is the main walkthrough of the game's core storyline Missions. It will help assist you in getting through all combat encounters, where to find every collectible, and how to pick the right dialogue choices for your playthrough. This walkthrough is available in both a text-and-pictures format as well as video demonstration .

The listings below focus on efficiency. For example, Illium can have up to three Missions available for it at the same time, so they are all grouped together. DLC is not listed here as it is all ultimately optional. Any Side Quests are handled in the Side Quests section.

Assemble a Team: Part 1

Assemble a team: part 2, loyalty missions.

  • The Suicide Mission

Save Joker slice2.png

A month after the defeat of Sovereign in Mass Effect 1, Shepard and the crew of the Normandy scour the galaxy for the last remaining Geth holdouts. But life is about to take a sharp turn for Shepard, as they meet Cerburus and learn of agents of the Reapers who are terrorizing humanity before they even arrive...

  • Prologue - Save Joker
  • Prologue - Awakening
  • Freedoms Progress
  • Exploring the Normandy

Mordin Profile.png

In order to take down The Collectors, Shepard must go through the Omega-4 Relay to strike the Collectors at their base, effectively a suicide mission. In order to have a chance at being successful, the Illusive Man instructs Shepard to travel the galaxy and assemble an elite team to get the job done.

  • The Citadel - The Council
  • Dossier - The Professor
  • Dossier - Archangel
  • Dossier - The Convict
  • Dossier - The Warlord

Tali Profile.png

After a reunion in the colony of Horizon , the Illusive Man forwards Shepard three more dossiers to complete Shepard's team of ever-talented specialists to prepare for taking on the Collectors.

  • Dossier - Tali
  • Dossier - The Justicar
  • Dossier - The Assassin
  • Collector Ship

Eye for an Eye slice1.png

In addition to assembling their team, Shepard must also tend to the personal and mental needs of the crew; old ghosts emerge from their past, and Shepard needs their team at their best to have a chance at defeating the Collectors.

  • Kasumi - Stolen Memory
  • Zaeed - The Price of Revenge
  • Miranda - The Prodigal
  • Jacob - The Gift of Greatness
  • Grunt - Rite of Passage
  • Mordin - Old Blood
  • Samara - The Ardat-Yakshi
  • Jack - Subject Zero
  • Garrus - Eye for an Eye
  • Thane - Sins of the Father
  • Tali - Treason

Tartarus Debris Field slice6.png

With the team assembled, Shepard boards an incredibly dangerous craft to recover a device that could help them pass through the Omega-4 Relay. But a tragic turn of events causes the situation to become even more dire, and Shepard must finally make the jump to the Collector's base of operations...

  • The Reaper IFF
  • Legion - A House Divided
  • Jokers Jump

Up Next: Full Walkthrough Roadmap

Top guide sections.

  • Legendary Edition Changes
  • Tips and Tricks
  • How-To Guides

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Mass Effect 2

Phys.org

Martians wanted: Apply here now for NASA's simulated yearlong Mars mission

N ASA is seeking applicants to participate in its next simulated one-year Mars surface mission to help inform the agency's plans for human exploration of the Red Planet. The second of three planned ground-based missions called CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) is scheduled to kick off in spring 2025.

Each CHAPEA mission involves a four-person volunteer crew living and working inside a 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat based at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The habitat, called the Mars Dune Alpha, simulates the challenges of a mission on Mars, including resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, and other environmental stressors. Crew tasks include simulated spacewalks, robotic operations, habitat maintenance, exercise, and crop growth.

NASA is looking for healthy, motivated U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are non-smokers, 30-55 years old, and proficient in English for effective communication between crewmates and mission control. Applicants should have a strong desire for unique, rewarding adventures and an interest in contributing to NASA's work to prepare for the first human journey to Mars.

The deadline for applicants is Tuesday, April 2.

Crew selection will follow additional standard NASA criteria for astronaut candidate applicants. A master's degree in a STEM field such as engineering, mathematics, or biological, physical, or computer science from an accredited institution with at least two years of professional STEM experience or a minimum of one thousand hours piloting an aircraft is required.

Candidates who have completed two years of work toward a doctoral program in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, completed a medical degree, or a test pilot program will also be considered. With four years of professional experience, applicants who have completed military officer training or a bachelor of science degree in a STEM field may be considered.

Compensation for participating in the mission is available. More information will be provided during the candidate screening process.

As NASA works to establish a long-term presence for scientific discovery and exploration on the moon through the Artemis campaign, CHAPEA missions provide important scientific data to validate systems and develop solutions for future missions to the Red Planet. With the first CHAPEA crew more than halfway through their yearlong mission, NASA is using research gained through the simulated missions to help inform crew health and performance support during Mars expeditions.

Under NASA's Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration on the moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.

More information: Signup page: chapea.nasa.gov/

Provided by NASA

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

IMAGES

  1. Explore the N7 Mission Locations in Mass Effect 2

    me2 planet missions

  2. Dossier

    me2 planet missions

  3. N7: Wrecked Merchant Freighter

    me2 planet missions

  4. Mass Effect 2: How to Mine Planets

    me2 planet missions

  5. Mass Effect 2: Planets and moons list, map

    me2 planet missions

  6. Exploring The Normandy Crash Site Is Still One Of Mass Effect 2's Best

    me2 planet missions

VIDEO

  1. Mass Effect 3 (Legendary Edition) Ep 28

  2. Mass Effect 1 Legendary Edition Female Shepard Playthrough NO Commentary PC Part 17

  3. Mass Effect 2 Legendary Edition Female Shepard Playthrough NO Commentary PC Part 12 Planet Misc

  4. Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition

  5. Mass Effect 4 NEW INFO

  6. Let's Play

COMMENTS

  1. Steam Community :: Guide :: ALL Anomalies/N7 Missions in Mass Effect 2

    Mission Name Solveig Sinmara 1 N7: Endangered Research Station Talava Taitus 4 N7: Mining the Canyon Crescent Nebula System Planet Position from Star Mission Name Lusarn Tarith 4 N7: Blood Pack Communications Relay Zelene Helyme

  2. Planet Scanning

    Palladium Palladium is used to upgrade cybernetics, shields, heavy pistols, and armor. Platinum Platinum is used to upgrade shotguns, sniper rifles and medical equipment. Anomalies and Assignments[] Scanning can also be used to discover loyalty missions and N7 assignments on certain planets.

  3. Mass Effect 2 Guide

    Act 1 begins when Shepard receives the Stop the Collectors master mission along with command of the Normandy SR-2 and continues until the mission to Horizon, which is activated as soon as Shepard has recruited all four of Mordin, Garrus, Jack, and Grunt.

  4. Mass Effect 2: Planets and moons list, map

    1 - Local Cluster 2 - Hawking Eta 3 - Sigurd's Cradle 4 - The Phoenix Massing 5 - Hourglass Nebula 6 - Omega Nebula 7 - Eagle Nebula 8 - Crescent Nebula 9 - Pylos Nebula 10 - Rosetta Nebula 11 - Titan Nebula 12 - Serpent Nebula 13 - Shadow Sea 14 - Hades Nexus 15 - Far Rim 16 - The Shrike Abyssal 17 - Ismal Frontier 18 - Valhallan Threshold

  5. Mass Effect 2 Mission Order: optimal DLC, dossier, loyalty quest

    Act 1 Mission Order: Cerberus and Building a Team Prologue: Awakening & Freedom's Progress: as mentioned above, for the first few hours of the game, things will play out in a linear fashion. Just...

  6. Mass Effect 2: Complete Guide To Scanning Planets

    Updated Jan 7, 2022 Scanning planets is an important part of progressing through Mass Effect 2. Here's all you need to know about the process. One of the very few lowlights among fans of the Mass...

  7. N7

    updated Jul 21, 2021 You should be able to undertake this side quest at any time you choose. To find the location of the side quest, follow these coordinates. From the nearest Mass Relay, make a...

  8. Planetary Survey

    Rich planets are the best place to make a killing on elements, but even depleted and poor planets will have minerals for you to gather via probe, if you're willing to take the time to find them....

  9. N7

    updated Jul 11, 2021 To acquire this side quest, you're going to have to work your way through some of the game. For our playthrough, we were awarded with this side quest following the retrieval of...

  10. Mass Effect 2 Planets with Anomalies Guide

    Dec 8, 2012 Planets, planets everywhere... Mass Effect 2 Landable Planets Welcome to my hub, here I will be revealing the planets in Mass Effect 2 which have anomalies, and are therefore able to be landed upon. It should be a conclusive list but if you notice one missing please don't hesitate to comment. Understanding orbits

  11. Mass Effect 2 Assignments

    First, there are missions that involve talking - to resolve a situation, to buy an item, etcetera. Second, there are missions where you'll find an item during a story mission (such as a...

  12. ME2 guide: mission order and best squads for story : r/masseffect

    This is my recommended mission order to maximize storytelling and get the best out of your characters, such as obtaining as many unique lines of dialogue as possible. If I missed something, I welcome y'all's feedback! I wrote this a few years back but it still applies to the Legendary Edition.

  13. List of Planets with Sidequests

    Mass Effect 2 List of Planets with Sidequests justln 14 years ago #1 I compiled a list of planets with sidequests. Some of them are a continuation of each other. Planet______________ System...

  14. Mass Effect 2

    Jan 7, 2023 @ 8:02am Guide Index Preface & Rundown Seeing as resource management is a huge investment in Mass Effect 2, I wanted to make something that would improve the experience for those going out and exploring the galaxy to find these materials.

  15. Anomaly

    Mass Effect 2 If a planet or moon has an anomaly, EDI reports detecting one once the Normandy SR-2 enters planetary (or lunar) orbit. Actively scanning the celestial body is required to locate the source of the anomaly. The targeting reticle contains a white line pointing in the direction of the anomaly during scan.

  16. Metro-2

    Metro-2 (Russian: Метро-2) is the informal name for a purported secret underground metro system which parallels the public Moscow Metro (known as Metro-1 when in comparison with Metro-2). The system was supposedly built, or at least started, during the time of Joseph Stalin and was codenamed D-6 (Д-6) by the KGB.It is supposedly still operated by the Main Directorate of Special ...

  17. Mars mission has NASA seeking more CHAPEA crew members: How to apply

    NASA's CHAPEA mission participants are set to spend 365 days living and working inside a 3D printed habitat called Mars Dune Alpha at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

  18. The robots are winning: Helldivers 2 players are convinced those new

    Following yesterday's surprise assault on the Xzar system by the Automaton menace, the helldivers are in shambles. Squads are failing Planet Defense campaigns in droves as players complain that t

  19. N7

    updated Jul 11, 2021 Minos Wasteland (System) - Fortis (Cluster) - Aequitas (Planet) advertisement This side quest should be available for you to undertake at any given time, though you'll need...

  20. How NASA's moon landing with Intuitive Machines will help pave way for

    SpaceX will launch Intuitive Machines' robotic lander toward the moon on Feb. 14. Here's how the mission will help NASA prep for crewed moon missions later in the decade.

  21. All Mission Types in Helldivers 2

    Here's all the mission types players can choose from in Helldivers 2. Here's all the mission types players can choose from in Helldivers 2. ... of the aspects of the game is that there are going to be certain missions players can choose from when landing onto a planet. We're going to run over all the mission types in Helldivers 2. All Mission ...

  22. How to beat Helldivers 2's new defense missions that are so impossibly

    What you need to know. Helldivers 2's newest Major Order has everyone attempting to defend planets from the fearsome Terminator-like Automaton faction, but the game's new defense missions are so ...

  23. Subterranean Secrets: Moscow's Metro-2 and the DIY-Subway System

    Spurred by Stalin's paranoia of assassination, a secret metro line "Metro-2" was started sometime before the war, as new lines were added to the Moscow Metro. Metro 2 was directly linked to ...

  24. Missions

    Missions advance the main storyline in Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3, Mass Effect: Infiltrator, and Mass Effect: Andromeda. The list contains all of the missions available within the game, and indicates how their names will change as the story progresses. Click on the links below for detailed walkthroughs. Note: Most mission names below are linked to the relevant section of the ...

  25. Team Assessing SHERLOC Instrument on NASA's Perseverance Rover

    The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover. For more about Perseverance:

  26. Walkthrough

    updated Sep 18, 2021 This page of IGN's Mass Effect 2 wiki guide is the main walkthrough of the game's core storyline Missions. It will help assist you in getting through all combat...

  27. Metro Exodus: All missions and objectives list

    The Volga - main missions. The Volga is the first large location in Metro Exodus. This level introduces new gameplay mechanics, has a few collectibles (diaries and postcards), and is your first opportunity to visit interesting locations on the map. Our walkthrough will help you with every mission and objective in the Volga.

  28. Honkai Star Rail 2.0 Envision a Rose Forthcoming mission guide

    T he Honkai Star Rail 2.0 update sees the introduction of Penacony, a dream-like planet brimming with adventure and hidden quests at every corner of the map. One of the missions, titled Envision a ...

  29. Martians wanted: Apply here now for NASA's simulated yearlong Mars mission

    NASA is seeking applicants to participate in its next simulated one-year Mars surface mission to help inform the agency's plans for human exploration of the Red Planet. The second of three planned ...