Several rovers have been sent to explore Mars, providing valuable scientific data. Only the United States has successfully launched and landed rovers on Mars. Rovers can survive on the surface of Mars and provide more information than orbiting spacecraft. NASA uses rovers to learn about Mars’ environment and history, and to prepare for potential human […]
Mars’ climate is colder than Earth’s due to its distance from the sun and smaller size. The atmosphere is mainly carbon dioxide and has relatively calm winds, but dust storms can occur and the seasons are twice as long as Earth’s. The climate and weather conditions on Mars are very different from those on Earth. […]
NASA’s Mars 2020 rover will launch in July 2020 and land on the Red Planet in February 2021 to collect rock and soil samples and search for signs of microbial life. A webcam called “Seeing 2020” allows viewers to watch the rover being assembled and tested at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The feed is available […]
NASA is exploring the use of mycelium, the thread-like material inside mushrooms, to build habitats on the moon and Mars. The structures would include nutrient-producing cyanobacteria and water ice, and be baked to prevent contamination. The project could also have applications on Earth. In hopes of finding a relatively cheap and logistically feasible way to […]
Mariner 4 was the first successful mission to Mars in 1965, producing 21 black and white images. The Soviet Union had attempted five missions prior. Mars has Olympus Mon, the tallest volcano in the solar system, and an average temperature of -50°F (-45°C). The first successful mission to Mars was the Mariner 4 spacecraft, which […]
NASA is developing a new technology, the VASIMR, which could make it possible to reach Mars in just 39 days. Mars is 34-250 million miles away from Earth, has a longer day than Earth, and is home to the largest volcano in the solar system. The Mars Odyssey launched in 2001 by NASA reached Mars […]
Mars exploration began in the 1960s, with many failed missions before the first successful probe, Mars 2, in 1971. NASA’s Mariner 4 provided the first close-up images, while Viking 1 and 2 landers provided surface views. The ultimate goal is to land a human on Mars, but the high failure rate of previous missions is […]
Curiosity, a car-sized rover, landed on Mars in 2012 and has been studying the planet’s climate and geology. It hummed “Happy Birthday” to itself on its first anniversary, but usually vibrates at different frequencies to collect soil samples. The European Space Agency and Roscosmos plan to launch the ExoMars mission next year, while NASA’s Mars […]
NASA’s InSight lander detected an unexplained hum on Mars at 2.4 hertz, higher than Earth’s natural sounds. While seismic activity and winds are common on Mars, scientists are unsure of the cause of the hum. The lander has collected hundreds of earthquake readings, helping NASA understand Mars better. Mars contains channels in the rock that […]
Mars is a popular planet for colonization due to its similarity to Earth and rich spectrum of elements. It has a thin atmosphere and a surface temperature ranging from -5°C to -87°C. The planet has been extensively studied by orbiters and rovers, with the largest known mountain and canyon in the solar system. A manned […]
Mars has the potential for colonization due to the presence of essential elements for life and a thin atmosphere that could support a limited biosphere. However, the low gravity level could cause health problems and make travel to Earth difficult. Mars’ atmosphere could be converted into oxygen through the introduction of hardy plants and artificial […]
Mars has Earth-like features and may contain liquid water. The Phoenix mission searched for signs of microbial life and was the first led by a university team. Mars has three operational orbiters and new missions are planned, including a network of rovers and eventual manned expeditions by NASA and the European Space Agency. Mars is […]
Phobos, one of Mars’ moons, is believed to have broken up into a ring of debris and then reformed into a moon. In 70 million years, Mars may have a new set of planetary rings and one fewer moon. Researchers have long theorized about the origin of Mars’ moons and whether there ever was a […]
Mars missions have three phases: flybys, orbiters, and landers/rovers. As of 2009, orbiters and rovers are still active, collecting data on caves, glaciers, and salt deposits. Future missions include aerial views and subsurface explorations. Mars missions involved three basic phases. The most primitive were the initial fly missions. These were followed by orbiters and finally […]
Life on Mars is possible but unlikely, with no evidence found by Viking and Phoenix landers. Methane in the Martian atmosphere suggests the presence of underground methanogenic bacteria, but the search for life on Mars remains uncertain. Of all the planets in the solar system other than Earth, life on Mars seems the most likely, […]
In the future, humanity may need more space and Mars is a possible target for colonization. Terraforming Mars involves increasing atmospheric pressure, adding oxygen, and keeping the atmosphere warm. One proposed method involves introducing large amounts of CFCs to raise the temperature and cause CO2 to sublimate. Over time, algae and bacteria would spread, turning […]
Mars and Earth have similar elliptical orbits and axial tilts, but Mars has a more eccentric orbit with a perihelion of 1.38 AU and aphelion of 1.66 AU. Mars’ year is 1.88 times longer than Earth’s, and its seasons are more extreme. The orbit of Mars was less eccentric in the past. Most people are […]
Mars is a red desert planet with a thin atmosphere composed mainly of carbon dioxide. It experiences greater thermal extremes than Earth and has evidence of liquid water. Olympus Mons is the tallest mountain and Valles Marineris is the largest fissure in the solar system. Olympus Mons is a shield volcano and Valles Marineris is […]
Scientists have explored the possibility of a manned mission to Mars since 1952, with successful orbital and rover missions providing better understanding of conditions. However, the challenges of a long journey, psychological tolerance, cosmic ray exposure, and payload weight reduction must be overcome. There are currently no solid plans for a manned mission to Mars […]
