Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in our solar system. It is named after Mars, the god of war in Roman mythology (the counterpart to Ares in Greek mythology), because of its red color as viewed in the night sky. This feature also earned it the name "The Red Planet." Mars has two moons (Phobos and Deimos) which are both small and oddly-shaped, possibly being captured asteroids. The prefix areo- refers to Mars in the same way geo- refers to Earth—e.g. areology versus geology.

The exploration of Mars

Main article: Exploration of Mars

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dozens of spacecraft, including orbiters, landers, and rovers, have been sent to Mars by the Soviet Union, the United States, Europe, and Japan to study the planet's surface, climate, and geography. Roughly two-thirds of all spacecraft destined for Mars have failed in one manner or another before completing or even beginning their missions. Part of this high failure rate can be ascribed to technical problems, but enough have either failed or lost communications for no apparent reason that some researchers half-jokingly speak of an Earth-Mars "Bermuda Triangle" or of a Great Galactic Ghoul which subsists on a diet of Mars probes, or of a Mars Curse.

Related Topics:
Spacecraft - Orbiter - Lander - Rover - Soviet Union - United States - Europe - Japan - Bermuda Triangle - Galactic Ghoul - Mars Curse

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Among the most successful missions are the Mars probe program, the Mariner and Viking programs, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Pathfinder, and Mars Odyssey. Global Surveyor has taken pictures of gullies and debris flow features that suggest there may be current sources of liquid water, similar to an aquifer, at or near the surface of the planet. Mars Odyssey determined that there are vast deposits of water ice in the upper three meters of Mars' regolith within 60° latitude of the south pole.

Related Topics:
Mars probe program - Mariner - Viking program - Mars Global Surveyor - Mars Pathfinder - Mars Odyssey - Aquifer - Regolith

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2003, the ESA launched the Mars Express craft consisting of the Mars Express Orbiter and the lander Beagle 2. Mars Express Orbiter confirmed the presence of water ice and carbon dioxide ice at the planet's south pole. NASA had previously confirmed their presence at the north pole of Mars. Attempts to contact the Beagle 2 failed and it was declared lost in early February 2004.

Related Topics:
2003 - ESA - Mars Express - Mars Express Orbiter - Beagle 2

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Also in 2003, NASA launched the twin Mars Exploration Rovers named Spirit (MER-A) and Opportunity (MER-B). Both missions landed successfully in January 2004 and have met or exceeded all their targets; while a 90-day nominal mission was planned, as of February 2005, their missions have been extended twice and they continue to return science, although some mechanical faults have occurred. Among the most significant science return has been evidence of liquid water some time in the past at both landing sites. In addition, for the first time, dust devils imaged from ground-level have been detected moving across the surface of Mars by Spirit (MER-A). (See picture below).

Related Topics:
Mars Exploration Rover - MER-A - MER-B - Dust devils

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~