Water on Mars

Recent analysis of the Red Planet's terrain using NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Global Surveyor spacecraft observations revealed what appeared to be by far the largest impact crater ever found in the solar system. NASA’s Viking orbiters observed in the 1970s that the bottom two-thirds of Mars was about two miles higher in altitude than its top third. Planetary scientists have since bandied about two hypotheses to explain the dichotomy: either some odd internal dynamics of Mars generated a thicker planetary crust in the south, or the northern surface was blown away by a mega-meteor impact. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Global Surveyor ... Read Full Story

The prehistoric Chicxulub crater left by an asteroid collision in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula could yield clues about what Mars was like billions of years ago, according to NASA planetary geologist Adriana Ocampo, who is studying buried deep under southeastern Mexico for hints about what impact craters can reveal about planet formation. Her work could shed light on a giant crater on the surface of Mars -the largest in the Solar System- that was created by an impact from an object the size of Pluto. Astronomers have been puzzled for decades about a huge dent on the surface of Mars -- the largest known crater ... Read Full Story

Recent analysis of the Red Planet's terrain using NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Global Surveyor spacecraft observations revealed what appears to be by far the largest impact crater ever found in the solar system. NASA’s Viking orbiters observed in the 1970s that the bottom two-thirds of Mars was about two miles higher in altitude than its top third. Planetary scientists have since bandied about two hypotheses to explain the dichotomy: either some odd internal dynamics of Mars generated a thicker planetary crust in the south, or the northern surface was blown away by a mega-meteor impact. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Global Surveyor ... Read Full Story

The Mars Global Surveyor circled the red planet for 9 years and 52 days. Longer than any other Mars missions to date. The MGS produced a total of 250,000 images of Mars and contributed some of the most relevant discoveries that served as building blocks of current and future missions. This include: Before and after images of 2 gullies in Mars that shows new deposits. This is evidence the liquid water still flows on Mars from time to time. The Infrared spectrometer found traces of Hematite - A mineral that forms only in the presence of water. This discovery led NASA to look for ... Read Full Story

NASA's next-gen Mars Rover mission has suffered yet another setback: Development problems and increasing costs are threatening to delay the landing of a nuclear-powered rover on Mars next... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] Read Full Story