All articles tagged with #red planet
Mars appears red due to iron oxide on its surface, but its true color varies from rusty brown to tan, with white ice caps at the poles. Advanced imaging techniques like infrared and ultraviolet help scientists study its composition and atmosphere, revealing a complex and dynamic planet that continues to intrigue researchers.
Mars is often called the 'Red Planet' due to its surface iron oxide, but its true appearance is more complex, featuring shades of brown, orange, and white ice caps, with advanced imaging revealing even more nuanced colors through ultraviolet and infrared light. The planet's iconic red hue is a result of rust-like dust, not a uniform color, and its surface features seasonal changes and diverse landscapes.
Sunsets on Mars appear pale blue due to the planet's unique atmosphere, which also gives Mars its characteristic red color.
NASA's Curiosity rover is embarking on a new phase of exploration on Mars, venturing into what scientists believe is the dried-up bed of an ancient river called Gediz Vallis. The rover will investigate the area to gain insight into the Martian environment and the possibility of past or present life on the Red Planet. Scientists are intrigued by the possibility that the channel was formed by flowing liquid water, indicating a resurgence of water on Mars after a long dry period. Curiosity will spend months exploring the channel, providing valuable information about the Martian landscape and its history.
NASA's Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, has captured "otherworldly" images of wreckage on the surface of the Red Planet. The photos, taken in April, show debris from the landing equipment that brought the helicopter and the Perseverance rover to Mars in 2021. The images offer valuable engineering understanding and could provide insight for future missions to Mars. Ingenuity has exceeded expectations, with 67 completed flights and preparations for its 68th flight underway.
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, which achieved powered, controlled flight on Mars, captured striking color images of wreckage on the planet's surface during its 26th flight. However, the debris turned out to be the remains of the landing equipment used by Ingenuity when it arrived on Mars with the Perseverance rover in 2021. The photographs provide valuable engineering understanding and could assist future Mars missions. Ingenuity has exceeded expectations, completing 67 flights and preparing for its longest journey yet, covering 2,717 feet (828m) at a top speed of 36 km per hour.
NASA's Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021, has captured some of the strangest sights on the red planet. Equipped with a suite of scientific instruments, the rover has been exploring Mars and sending back stunning images, including a selfie. These images provide valuable insights into the Martian landscape and help scientists better understand the planet's geology and potential for past or present life.
NASA's Mars Odyssey Orbiter has captured new images of Mars from above, providing a glimpse of what astronauts in orbit around the Red Planet would see. The images reveal deep craters and diverse cloud structures, showcasing the unique features of Mars. The orbiter's heat vision camera identified different types of clouds in Mars' atmosphere, including carbon dioxide ice clouds, water ice clouds, and dust clouds. The spacecraft, launched in 2001, is the longest-running at Mars and is currently involved in various scientific initiatives, including rock mapping and cloud observation.
NASA's Curiosity rover has reached a milestone of 4,000 "sols" (Martian days) on Mars since landing in 2012. The rover continues to gather evidence of minerals and rocks shaped by water, with a recent sample nicknamed "Sequoia" potentially showing evidence of sulfates formed in salty water billions of years ago. Curiosity has already found abundant sulfates and is searching for elusive carbonate reserves. Despite minor issues with its camera and wear on its drill and robotic arm, Curiosity remains in good health and has years of life left.
The Mars Society has begun its fifteenth simulated Red Planet analog mission in the remote Canadian Arctic. The multinational crew of five members from the UK, Australia, and the US arrived at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) on July 15 and have started conducting scientific tests and field studies. The crew will work under Mars mission constraints and carry out geological and microbiological exploration, following up on previous investigations. The FMARS station is located on Devon Island, which resembles Mars in many ways, and the crew will spend four weeks there.
NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity captured a photo of the Perseverance rover during its 54th flight on August 3. The short flight was designed to investigate the cause of an unexpected early landing during a previous flight. The mission team suspects that a synchronization issue between Ingenuity's navigation camera and inertial measurement unit triggered the landing. Despite the setback, the team is confident in Ingenuity's ability to continue exploring Mars.
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter on Mars has completed its 53rd flight after a three-month pause. The details of the flight have not been released yet, but Flight 54 is already being planned. Ingenuity's expanded mission now includes acting as a scout for the Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to issue a contract opportunity to design a new lander for the ExoMars mission, following the loss of the Russian lander due to the severed partnership between Russia and ESA. The mission, originally scheduled for 2020, is now expected to launch no earlier than 2028. To save the mission, ESA has approved a record-breaking budget of 16.9 billion Euros ($17.6 billion) over three years, with hopes of receiving additional funding from NASA. The ExoMars mission includes the Trace Gas Orbiter and the Rosalind Franklin rover, which is designed to search for signs of Martian life.
NASA's Perseverance rover has captured an image of a large black rock with a hole in its center on Mars, potentially a meteorite alongside smaller pieces. The rock's color suggests a common origin with surrounding rocks, raising the possibility of extraterrestrial origins. Perseverance is currently exploring the Jezero crater on Mars, searching for signs of ancient life and collecting samples for future return to Earth. The rover is aided by the Ingenuity helicopter, which has successfully completed 51 flights on Mars.
NASA's Perseverance rover has captured an image of a large black rock with a hole in its center on Mars, suggesting it could be a meteorite. The rock is surrounded by similar-hued rocks, indicating a common origin that may extend beyond Mars. The SETI Institute speculates that the donut rock could be a large meteorite alongside smaller pieces. This is not the first time a Mars rover has encountered a pastry-like rock, as NASA's Opportunity rover discovered a stone resembling a jelly donut in 2014. Perseverance is currently exploring the Jezero crater, searching for signs of ancient life and collecting samples for future return to Earth.