Scientists have discovered a natural shelter on Mars that can protect it against the radiation on the Red planet.

Radiation from space has a nearly unimpeded path to the Martian surface without a protective magnetic shield.

The atmosphere of Mars is extremely thin in comparison to Earth and it lacks a global magnetic shield required for protection against harmful radiation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-perseverance-rover-collects-first-rock-samples-on-mars-411283" hreflang="en">NASA's Perseverance rover collects first rock samples on Mars</a>

With the latest discovery by astronomers, not only machines but also human beings can roam the surface of Mars without the fear of radiation.

The findings, published in Geophysical Research Letters, is titled ''Directionality of the Martian Surface Radiation and Derivation of the Upward Albedo Radiation.''

The research was conducted by the University of Science and Technology in China and its lead author is Guo Jingnan.

It states the use of natural geological structures on Mars, including cave skylights and lava tubes as a mitigation strategy for space radiation.

The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) will be used by the Mars Science Laboratory in its future visits to the Red planet.

It is used to detect harmful radiation on Mars that originates from the Sun and other sources in the universe.

The study is significant because the energetic particles in the interplanetary space can adversely affect astronauts and cause cancer amid other hereditary diseases.

Scientists have discovered a natural shelter on Mars that can protect it against the radiation on the Red planet. Radiation from space has a nearly unimpeded path to the Martian surface without a protective magnetic shield.

Scientists have discovered a natural shelter on Mars that can protect it against the radiation on the Red planet. Radiation from space has a nearly unimpeded path to the Martian surface without a protective magnetic shield. The atmosphere of Mars is extremely thin in comparison to Earth and it lacks a global magnetic shield required for protection against harmful radiation. Also read | NASA's Perseverance rover collects first rock samples on Mars With the latest discovery by astronomers, not only machines but also human beings can roam the surface of Mars without the fear of radiation. The findings, published in Geophysical Research Letters, is titled ''Directionality of the Martian Surface Radiation and Derivation of the Upward Albedo Radiation.'' The research was conducted by the University of Science and Technology in China and its lead author is Guo Jingnan. It states the use of natural geological structures on Mars, including cave skylights and lava tubes as a mitigation strategy for space radiation. The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) will be used by the Mars Science Laboratory in its future visits to the Red planet. It is used to detect harmful radiation on Mars that originates from the Sun and other sources in the universe. The study is significant because the energetic particles in the interplanetary space can adversely affect astronauts and cause cancer amid other hereditary diseases.

Astronomers discover natural shelter on Mars against radiation

Space is a wonderful mystery!&nbsp;It has&nbsp;glamour that mesmerises our&nbsp;minds. Rockets lifting off, probes examining planets in our solar system, even going beyond the boundary of it is something that enthralls us.&nbsp;

For a layman, space travel is just about sitting in a spaceship and travelling through the void witnessing colourful wonders of the universe. But for a scientist involved in a mission, it is a result of precise work that involves many factors. Main impediment to human space travel is intense space radiation. Once we leave the protective shell of Earth we are exposed to these cosmic rays which are deadly. Human spaceflight therefore involves consideration of this major factor. Even a manned mission to Mars is tricky because it involves years of space travel for a roundtrip.

But now a study has said that an astronaut's journey to Mars is safe even when the spaceship is being bombarded with lethal cosmic rays during the journey.

However, certain conditions have to be fulfilled in order to make the journey safe for the astronaut.

An international team of space scientists including researchers from UCLA carried out the study.

The scientists have said that the protective shielding must be of sufficient thickness and a round trip to Mars must be shorter than approximately four years. Average flight to Mars takes about nine months. So the window advised by the scientists is sufficient.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/isro-successfully-tests-a-system-that-will-propel-indias-human-carrying-spacecraft-409433">ISRO successfully tests a system that will propel India’s human-carrying spacecraft</a>

Moreover, the timing of the manned mission to Mars would be important as well. Scientists have suggested that the mission should be undertaken when the solar activity is at its peak. This is known as solar maximum.

Why?

Well, the heightened solar activity deflects the most lethal cosmic rays.

Move over Neil Armstrong, the race to be the first human on Mars is on!

Space is a wonderful mystery! It has glamour that mesmerises our minds. Rockets lifting off, probes examining planets in our solar system, even going beyond the boundary of it is something that enthralls us.

Space is a wonderful mystery! It has glamour that mesmerises our minds. Rockets lifting off, probes examining planets in our solar system, even going beyond the boundary of it is something that enthralls us. For a layman, space travel is just about sitting in a spaceship and travelling through the void witnessing colourful wonders of the universe. But for a scientist involved in a mission, it is a result of precise work that involves many factors. Main impediment to human space travel is intense space radiation. Once we leave the protective shell of Earth we are exposed to these cosmic rays which are deadly. Human spaceflight therefore involves consideration of this major factor. Even a manned mission to Mars is tricky because it involves years of space travel for a roundtrip. But now a study has said that an astronaut's journey to Mars is safe even when the spaceship is being bombarded with lethal cosmic rays during the journey. However, certain conditions have to be fulfilled in order to make the journey safe for the astronaut. An international team of space scientists including researchers from UCLA carried out the study. The scientists have said that the protective shielding must be of sufficient thickness and a round trip to Mars must be shorter than approximately four years. Average flight to Mars takes about nine months. So the window advised by the scientists is sufficient. Also Read | ISRO successfully tests a system that will propel India’s human-carrying spacecraft Moreover, the timing of the manned mission to Mars would be important as well. Scientists have suggested that the mission should be undertaken when the solar activity is at its peak. This is known as solar maximum. Why? Well, the heightened solar activity deflects the most lethal cosmic rays. Move over Neil Armstrong, the race to be the first human on Mars is on!

Journey to Mars is full of danger, but here's the safe way

You've got mail!

Yes. United State's space organisation NASA has a mail from us. Travelling light years, galloping over miles of the outer world, the space agency has delivered for us the perfect dose of beauty and intrigue.

The mail is from Mars, a planet that has long been a source of fascination for humankind, steeped in mystery and intrigue. From the ancient Egyptians to modern-day children, Mars has remained an enticing and enigmatically magical planet that we know little about.

However, today this is changing. One of the&nbsp;nearest neighbours of our sun, today the red planet has been the subject of extensive exploration, and our rovers roam the surface of the planet every night.

Every day we are learning something new about the planet, but today we are not going to learn anything. It's Sunday, so instead of putting anything heavy on our minds, we're gonna sit back and admire the beauty of the desolate planet that is Mars.&nbsp;

Here's the post by NASA.&nbsp;

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The post is captioned "You’ve got mail 💌 from Mars. Our&nbsp;@NASAJPL&nbsp;Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recently released new images showing off the many different features of the Red Planet!".

Showcasing three stunning pictures, this post from NASA shows us geological formations on the planet that ancient Egyptians liked to call&nbsp;&nbsp;"Horus of the Horizon".

You've got mail! Yes. United State's space organisation NASA has a mail from us. Travelling light years, galloping over miles of the outer world, the space agency has delivered for us the perfect dose of beauty and intrigue.

You've got mail! Yes. United State's space organisation NASA has a mail from us. Travelling light years, galloping over miles of the outer world, the space agency has delivered for us the perfect dose of beauty and intrigue. The mail is from Mars, a planet that has long been a source of fascination for humankind, steeped in mystery and intrigue. From the ancient Egyptians to modern-day children, Mars has remained an enticing and enigmatically magical planet that we know little about. However, today this is changing. One of the nearest neighbours of our sun, today the red planet has been the subject of extensive exploration, and our rovers roam the surface of the planet every night. Every day we are learning something new about the planet, but today we are not going to learn anything. It's Sunday, so instead of putting anything heavy on our minds, we're gonna sit back and admire the beauty of the desolate planet that is Mars. Here's the post by NASA. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) × The post is captioned "You’ve got mail 💌 from Mars. Our @NASAJPL Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recently released new images showing off the many different features of the Red Planet!". Showcasing three stunning pictures, this post from NASA shows us geological formations on the planet that ancient Egyptians liked to call "Horus of the Horizon".

You've got mail from Mars. Open for magic and wonder

Mars has intrigued humankind for centuries. The red dot in the night sky has captured the imagination of several cultures. To some, it appeared like a god of war for others it supposedly created problems by tinkering with their personal horoscope.

For good or bad, Mars has always remained in our conversations one way or the other.

Now for the first time, we have been able to peep into the interior of the planet and have been able to deduce that the planet has a liquid core, a solid mantle and crust just like Earth but slightly different.

InSight lander on Mars has analysed data it collected on the surface of the red planet. It recorded over 700 'Marsquakes', that is, Earthquakes but on Mars. 35 out of these were strong enough to analyse further. And by y studying travel of these waves through the interior of the planet, scientists were able to get an idea about interior of the red planet.

Scientists have inferred that Martian crust is between 24 and 72 kilometers thick and has at least two layers.

The mantle is made up of a single layer of rock and is between 400 and 600 kilometers thick.

Then comes the core, the core is a much larger layer and has a radius of about &nbsp;1,830 kilometers. The core is liquid.

It was previously thought that Mars did not have geologic activity. But rumblings recorded by InSight in 2019 prove this notion to be incorrect.

This is the first time we have been able to get an idea about interior of a planet other than Earth.

Mars has intrigued humankind for centuries. The red dot in the night sky has captured the imagination of several cultures. To some, it appeared like a god of war for others it supposedly created problems by tinkering with their personal horoscope.

Mars has intrigued humankind for centuries. The red dot in the night sky has captured the imagination of several cultures. To some, it appeared like a god of war for others it supposedly created problems by tinkering with their personal horoscope. For good or bad, Mars has always remained in our conversations one way or the other. Now for the first time, we have been able to peep into the interior of the planet and have been able to deduce that the planet has a liquid core, a solid mantle and crust just like Earth but slightly different. InSight lander on Mars has analysed data it collected on the surface of the red planet. It recorded over 700 'Marsquakes', that is, Earthquakes but on Mars. 35 out of these were strong enough to analyse further. And by y studying travel of these waves through the interior of the planet, scientists were able to get an idea about interior of the red planet. Scientists have inferred that Martian crust is between 24 and 72 kilometers thick and has at least two layers. The mantle is made up of a single layer of rock and is between 400 and 600 kilometers thick. Then comes the core, the core is a much larger layer and has a radius of about 1,830 kilometers. The core is liquid. It was previously thought that Mars did not have geologic activity. But rumblings recorded by InSight in 2019 prove this notion to be incorrect. This is the first time we have been able to get an idea about interior of a planet other than Earth.

Marsquakes reveal secrets of Mars' interior

China on Friday, June 11, released pictures of Mars' landscape taken by its remote-controlled motorized rover Zhurong, declaring the country's first attempt at Mars exploration a success.

Three of the photographs, released by the China National Space Administration, showed an image of the Martian soil, one of the landing platforms, and another of the rover Zhurong and the landing platform together.

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Family photo! First batch of scientific images of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Zhurong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Zhurong</a> rover landing on Mars unveiled. Fig 1 was taken by a wireless camera deployed by rover. Fig 3 shows traces of rover maneuver. Full scale HD pictures and Easter eggs are revealed by <a href="https://twitter.com/CNSAWatcher?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNSAWatcher</a> in <a href="https://t.co/jCzeJVk5iD">https://t.co/jCzeJVk5iD</a> <a href="https://t.co/j7sFT39M45">pic.twitter.com/j7sFT39M45</a>
— Chinese Zhurong Mars Rover (@MarsZhurong) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarsZhurong/status/1403284585878888448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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According to Chinese state media, Zhurong traveled about 10 meters (33 ft.) to the south, 6 meters (20 ft.) to the southeast from the landing platform, planted a camera, and traveled back next to the platform for their photo together. The platform was also pictured with a banner showing Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon, the two mascots of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and the Chinese national flag.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/space-explorers-uae-china-and-nasa-race-to-mars-in-2021-354680">Also Read |&nbsp;Space explorers: UAE, China and NASA race to Mars in 2021</a>

Zhurong, named after a mythical Chinese god of fire, drove down to the surface of Mars on May 22, according to the rover's official Chinese social media account.

The 240-kg (530-pound) Zhurong, which has six scientific instruments including a high-resolution topography camera, will study the planet's surface soil and atmosphere.

China on Friday, June 11, released pictures of Mars' landscape taken by its remote-controlled motorized rover Zhurong, declaring the country's first attempt at Mars exploration a success.

China on Friday, June 11, released pictures of Mars' landscape taken by its remote-controlled motorized rover Zhurong, declaring the country's first attempt at Mars exploration a success. Three of the photographs, released by the China National Space Administration, showed an image of the Martian soil, one of the landing platforms, and another of the rover Zhurong and the landing platform together. Family photo! First batch of scientific images of #Zhurong rover landing on Mars unveiled. Fig 1 was taken by a wireless camera deployed by rover. Fig 3 shows traces of rover maneuver. Full scale HD pictures and Easter eggs are revealed by @CNSAWatcher in https://t.co/jCzeJVk5iD pic.twitter.com/j7sFT39M45 — Chinese Zhurong Mars Rover (@MarsZhurong) June 11, 2021 × According to Chinese state media, Zhurong traveled about 10 meters (33 ft.) to the south, 6 meters (20 ft.) to the southeast from the landing platform, planted a camera, and traveled back next to the platform for their photo together. The platform was also pictured with a banner showing Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon, the two mascots of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and the Chinese national flag. Also Read | Space explorers: UAE, China and NASA race to Mars in 2021 Zhurong, named after a mythical Chinese god of fire, drove down to the surface of Mars on May 22, according to the rover's official Chinese social media account. The 240-kg (530-pound) Zhurong, which has six scientific instruments including a high-resolution topography camera, will study the planet's surface soil and atmosphere.

China unveils pictures by Martian rover on Red Planet

China's Mars rover drove from its landing platform and began exploring the surface on Saturday, state-run Xinhua news agency said, making the country only the second nation to land and operate a rover on the Red Planet.

The launch last July of the Tianwen-1 Mars probe, which carried the Zhurong rover, marked a major milestone in China's space programme.

Tianwen-1 touched down on a vast northern lava plain known as the Utopia Planitia a week ago and beamed back its first photos of the surface a few days later.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/say-cheese-time-for-perseverance-as-mars-rover-sends-stunning-selfie-with-helicopter-376114">&nbsp;'Say Cheese' time for Perseverance as Mars rover sends stunning selfie with helicopter</a>

The Mars probe and rover are expected to spend around three months taking photos, harvesting geographical data, and collecting and analysing rock samples.

The six-wheeled, solar-powered, 240-kilogramme (530-pound) Zhurong is named after a Chinese mythical fire god.

China has now sent astronauts into space, powered probes to the Moon and landed a rover on Mars -- the most prestigious of all prizes in the competition for dominion of space.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/did-nasas-perseverance-rover-just-capture-a-rainbow-on-mars-image-inside-375618">Did NASA's Perseverance rover just capture a 'rainbow' on Mars? Image inside!</a>

The United States and Russia are the only other countries to have reached Mars, and only the former has operated a rover on the surface.

Several US, Russian and European attempts to land rovers on Mars have failed in the past, most recently in 2016 with the crash-landing of the Schiaparelli joint Russian-European spacecraft.

The latest successful arrival came in February, when US space agency NASA landed its rover Perseverance, which has since been exploring the planet.&nbsp;

The US rover launched a small robotic helicopter on Mars which was the first-ever powered flight on another planet.

China has come a long way in its race to catch up with the United States and Russia, whose astronauts and cosmonauts have decades of experience in space exploration.

It successfully launched the first module of its new space station last month with hopes of having it crewed by 2022 and eventually sending humans to the Moon.

Last week a segment of the Chinese Long March 5B rocket disintegrated over the Indian Ocean in an uncontrolled landing back to Earth.

That drew criticism from the United States and other nations for a breach of etiquette governing the return of space debris to Earth, with officials saying the remnants had the potential to endanger life and property.

China's Mars rover drove from its landing platform and began exploring the surface on Saturday, state-run Xinhua news agency said, making the country only the second nation to land and operate a rover on the Red Planet.

China's Mars rover drove from its landing platform and began exploring the surface on Saturday, state-run Xinhua news agency said, making the country only the second nation to land and operate a rover on the Red Planet. The launch last July of the Tianwen-1 Mars probe, which carried the Zhurong rover, marked a major milestone in China's space programme. Tianwen-1 touched down on a vast northern lava plain known as the Utopia Planitia a week ago and beamed back its first photos of the surface a few days later. Also read | 'Say Cheese' time for Perseverance as Mars rover sends stunning selfie with helicopter The Mars probe and rover are expected to spend around three months taking photos, harvesting geographical data, and collecting and analysing rock samples. The six-wheeled, solar-powered, 240-kilogramme (530-pound) Zhurong is named after a Chinese mythical fire god. China has now sent astronauts into space, powered probes to the Moon and landed a rover on Mars -- the most prestigious of all prizes in the competition for dominion of space. Also read | Did NASA's Perseverance rover just capture a 'rainbow' on Mars? Image inside! The United States and Russia are the only other countries to have reached Mars, and only the former has operated a rover on the surface. Several US, Russian and European attempts to land rovers on Mars have failed in the past, most recently in 2016 with the crash-landing of the Schiaparelli joint Russian-European spacecraft. The latest successful arrival came in February, when US space agency NASA landed its rover Perseverance, which has since been exploring the planet. The US rover launched a small robotic helicopter on Mars which was the first-ever powered flight on another planet. China has come a long way in its race to catch up with the United States and Russia, whose astronauts and cosmonauts have decades of experience in space exploration. It successfully launched the first module of its new space station last month with hopes of having it crewed by 2022 and eventually sending humans to the Moon. Last week a segment of the Chinese Long March 5B rocket disintegrated over the Indian Ocean in an uncontrolled landing back to Earth. That drew criticism from the United States and other nations for a breach of etiquette governing the return of space debris to Earth, with officials saying the remnants had the potential to endanger life and property.

China's Mars rover starts roaming the Red Planet

NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter could make its first flight over the Red Planet as soon as Monday, the US space agency reported, following a delay of more than a week due to a possible technical issue.&nbsp;

The mini-helicopter's trip will mark the first-ever powered, controlled flight on another planet, and will help NASA reap invaluable data about the conditions on Mars. &nbsp;

"NASA is targeting no earlier than Monday, April 19, for the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter," the space agency reported on Saturday.&nbsp;

Data will return to Earth "a few hours following the autonomous flight," which would take off at approximately 3:30 am (0730 GMT), NASA said.&nbsp;

Ingenuity's first trip was initially set for last Sunday, but was delayed after a potential issue emerged during a high-speed test of the four-pound (1.8 kilogram) helicopter's rotors.&nbsp;

NASA calls the unprecedented helicopter operation highly risky: The flight is a challenge because the air on Mars is so thin -- less than one per cent of the pressure of Earth's atmosphere. &nbsp;

The helicopter arrived on Mars attached to the underside of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on February 18.&nbsp;

After the helicopter's flight, Ingenuity will send Perseverance technical data on what it has done, and that information will be transmitted back to Earth. &nbsp;

The helicopter mission is be the equivalent on Mars of the first powered flight on Earth by the Wright brothers in 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. A piece of fabric from that plane has been tucked inside Ingenuity in honor of that feat.&nbsp;

NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter could make its first flight over the Red Planet as soon as Monday, the US space agency reported, following a delay of more than a week due to a possible technical issue.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter could make its first flight over the Red Planet as soon as Monday, the US space agency reported, following a delay of more than a week due to a possible technical issue. The mini-helicopter's trip will mark the first-ever powered, controlled flight on another planet, and will help NASA reap invaluable data about the conditions on Mars. "NASA is targeting no earlier than Monday, April 19, for the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter," the space agency reported on Saturday. Data will return to Earth "a few hours following the autonomous flight," which would take off at approximately 3:30 am (0730 GMT), NASA said. Ingenuity's first trip was initially set for last Sunday, but was delayed after a potential issue emerged during a high-speed test of the four-pound (1.8 kilogram) helicopter's rotors. NASA calls the unprecedented helicopter operation highly risky: The flight is a challenge because the air on Mars is so thin -- less than one per cent of the pressure of Earth's atmosphere. The helicopter arrived on Mars attached to the underside of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on February 18. After the helicopter's flight, Ingenuity will send Perseverance technical data on what it has done, and that information will be transmitted back to Earth. The helicopter mission is be the equivalent on Mars of the first powered flight on Earth by the Wright brothers in 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. A piece of fabric from that plane has been tucked inside Ingenuity in honor of that feat.

NASA's Mars copter flight could happen as soon as Monday 

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea&nbsp;of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas.

In this false-color image, areas with cooler temperatures are recorded in bluer tints, while warmer features are depicted in yellows and oranges. Thus, the dark, sun-warmed dunes glow with a golden color. This image covers an area 19 miles (30 kilometres) wide.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-hubble-telescope-clicks-haunting-image-of-a-dying-galaxy-377173">NASA's Hubble telescope clicks haunting image of a dying galaxy</a>

This scene combines images taken during the period from December 2002 to November 2004 by the Thermal Emission Imaging System instrument on the Mars Odyssey orbiter. It is part of a special set of images marking the 20th anniversary of Odyssey, the longest-working Mars spacecraft in history. The pictured location on Mars is 80.3 degrees north latitude, 172.1 degrees east longitude.

For two decades, the longest-lived spacecraft at the Red Planet has helped locate water ice, assess landing sites, and study the planet’s mysterious moons.

NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft launched 20 years ago on April 7, making it the oldest spacecraft still working at the Red Planet. The orbiter, which takes its name from Arthur C. Clarke’s classic sci-fi novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” (Clarke blessed its use before launch), was sent to map the composition of the Martian surface, providing a window to the past so scientists could piece together how the planet evolved.

But it’s done far more than that, uncovering troves of water ice, serving as a crucial communications link for other spacecraft, and helping to pave the way not just for safer landings but also future astronauts.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA has released an image of a sea of dark dunes, sculpted by the wind into long lines, surrounds Mars' northern polar cap and covers an area as big as Texas. In this false-color image, areas with cooler temperatures are recorded in bluer tints, while warmer features are depicted in yellows and oranges. Thus, the dark, sun-warmed dunes glow with a golden color. This image covers an area 19 miles (30 kilometres) wide. Also Read | NASA's Hubble telescope clicks haunting image of a dying galaxy This scene combines images taken during the period from December 2002 to November 2004 by the Thermal Emission Imaging System instrument on the Mars Odyssey orbiter. It is part of a special set of images marking the 20th anniversary of Odyssey, the longest-working Mars spacecraft in history. The pictured location on Mars is 80.3 degrees north latitude, 172.1 degrees east longitude. For two decades, the longest-lived spacecraft at the Red Planet has helped locate water ice, assess landing sites, and study the planet’s mysterious moons. NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft launched 20 years ago on April 7, making it the oldest spacecraft still working at the Red Planet. The orbiter, which takes its name from Arthur C. Clarke’s classic sci-fi novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” (Clarke blessed its use before launch), was sent to map the composition of the Martian surface, providing a window to the past so scientists could piece together how the planet evolved. But it’s done far more than that, uncovering troves of water ice, serving as a crucial communications link for other spacecraft, and helping to pave the way not just for safer landings but also future astronauts.

NASA releases stunning image of magical 'sea of dunes' on Mars

NASA’s InSight spacecraft, the first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world,&nbsp;has detected two sizable quakes on Mars.

NASA is investigating the ''Marsquakes'' of 3.3 and 3.1 temblors in a region called Cerebrus Fossae on the red planet, further supporting this notion that this location is seismically active.

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In the last several weeks, listening for the heartbeat of Mars has revealed two strong, clear quakes from a region where I've felt them before: Cerberus Fossae. These two were magnitude 3.3 and 3.1. So far, I’ve recorded more than 500 marsquakes. 
 
Read: <a href="https://t.co/WKGCVQ1Ro9">https://t.co/WKGCVQ1Ro9</a> <a href="https://t.co/K0FC7r3ATz">pic.twitter.com/K0FC7r3ATz</a>
— NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAInSight/status/1377648175918444552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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InSight has recorded over 500 earthquakes to date, but because of their clear signals, these are the four best quake records for probing the interior of the planet. 
 
Watch: NASA detects two strong quakes on Mars

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''Over the course of the mission, we’ve seen two different types of marsquakes: one that is more ‘Moon-like’ and the other, more ‘Earth-like,'' said&nbsp;Taichi Kawamura of France Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris which helped provide InSight's seismometer. All of the above quakes fell into the prior category.

“The reason why we’re digging into Mars is to better understand not just Mars, but the Earth itself,” said JPL’s Bruce Banerdt, InSight’s principal investigator.

A central question is why Mars, once a relatively warm, wet planet, evolved so differently from Earth into a mostly dry, desolate and cold world, devoid of life.

The answers are believed to have something to do with the as-yet unexplained absence, since Mars’ ancient past, of either a magnetic field or tectonic activity, said NASA’s chief scientist James Green.

While Earth’s tectonics and other forces have erased most evidence of its early history, much of Mars - about one-third the size of Earth - has seemingly remained largely static, creating a geologic time machine for scientists, Green said.

Daredevil landing

InSight’s primary instrument is a French-built seismometer, designed to record the slightest vibrations from “marsquakes” and meteor impacts around the planet. The device, to be placed on the surface by the lander’s robot arm, is so sensitive it can measure a seismic wave just one-half the radius of a hydrogen atom.

John Clinton, a&nbsp;seismologist who InSights Marsquake Service at ETH Zurich said, “It’s wonderful to once again observe marsquakes after a long period of recording wind noise.”

InSight was the eighth spacecraft to have landed successfully on Mars, all of them operated by NASA.

The three-legged lander streaked into the thin Martian atmosphere at 12,300 miles (19,795 km) per hour and plunged 77 miles to the surface within seven minutes, slowed to a gentle touchdown by atmospheric friction, a giant parachute and retro rockets.

The stationary probe was programmed to pause for 16 minutes for the dust to settle, literally, around its landing site, before two disc-shaped solar panels were to be unfurled like wings to provide power to the spacecraft. But scientists did not expect to verify successful deployment of the solar arrays for at least several hours.

The 880-pound (360 kg) InSight - its name is short for Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport,&nbsp;marks the 21st US-launched Mars mission, dating back to the Mariner fly-bys of the 1960s.

Nearly two dozen other Mars missions have been sent from other nations.

NASA’s InSight spacecraft, the first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world, has detected two sizable quakes on Mars. NASA is investigating the ''Marsquakes'' of 3.

NASA’s InSight spacecraft, the first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world, has detected two sizable quakes on Mars. NASA is investigating the ''Marsquakes'' of 3.3 and 3.1 temblors in a region called Cerebrus Fossae on the red planet, further supporting this notion that this location is seismically active. In the last several weeks, listening for the heartbeat of Mars has revealed two strong, clear quakes from a region where I've felt them before: Cerberus Fossae. These two were magnitude 3.3 and 3.1. So far, I’ve recorded more than 500 marsquakes. Read: https://t.co/WKGCVQ1Ro9 pic.twitter.com/K0FC7r3ATz — NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) April 1, 2021 × InSight has recorded over 500 earthquakes to date, but because of their clear signals, these are the four best quake records for probing the interior of the planet. Watch: NASA detects two strong quakes on Mars ''Over the course of the mission, we’ve seen two different types of marsquakes: one that is more ‘Moon-like’ and the other, more ‘Earth-like,'' said Taichi Kawamura of France Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris which helped provide InSight's seismometer. All of the above quakes fell into the prior category. “The reason why we’re digging into Mars is to better understand not just Mars, but the Earth itself,” said JPL’s Bruce Banerdt, InSight’s principal investigator. A central question is why Mars, once a relatively warm, wet planet, evolved so differently from Earth into a mostly dry, desolate and cold world, devoid of life. The answers are believed to have something to do with the as-yet unexplained absence, since Mars’ ancient past, of either a magnetic field or tectonic activity, said NASA’s chief scientist James Green. While Earth’s tectonics and other forces have erased most evidence of its early history, much of Mars - about one-third the size of Earth - has seemingly remained largely static, creating a geologic time machine for scientists, Green said. Daredevil landing InSight’s primary instrument is a French-built seismometer, designed to record the slightest vibrations from “marsquakes” and meteor impacts around the planet. The device, to be placed on the surface by the lander’s robot arm, is so sensitive it can measure a seismic wave just one-half the radius of a hydrogen atom. John Clinton, a seismologist who InSights Marsquake Service at ETH Zurich said, “It’s wonderful to once again observe marsquakes after a long period of recording wind noise.” InSight was the eighth spacecraft to have landed successfully on Mars, all of them operated by NASA. The three-legged lander streaked into the thin Martian atmosphere at 12,300 miles (19,795 km) per hour and plunged 77 miles to the surface within seven minutes, slowed to a gentle touchdown by atmospheric friction, a giant parachute and retro rockets. The stationary probe was programmed to pause for 16 minutes for the dust to settle, literally, around its landing site, before two disc-shaped solar panels were to be unfurled like wings to provide power to the spacecraft. But scientists did not expect to verify successful deployment of the solar arrays for at least several hours. The 880-pound (360 kg) InSight - its name is short for Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, marks the 21st US-launched Mars mission, dating back to the Mariner fly-bys of the 1960s. Nearly two dozen other Mars missions have been sent from other nations.

NASA's InSight lander detects two new quakes on Mars

NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11.

Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet.

"#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed! Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 cm) from the rover’s belly to the surface of Mars today," NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, tweeted late on Saturday.

"Next milestone? Survive the night."

The US space agency last week announced the decision to push back the date of the first attempt to fly the helicopter on Mars from April 8 to 11.

Flying in a controlled manner on Mars is far more difficult than flying on Earth.

The Red Planet has significant gravity (about one-third that of Earth’s), but its atmosphere is just 1 per cent as dense as Earth’s at the surface.

During Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only about half the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth during its daytime, and nighttime temperatures can drop as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius, which can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components.

To fit within the available accommodations provided by the Perseverance rover, the Ingenuity helicopter must be small.

To fly in the Mars environment, it must be lightweight. To survive the frigid Martian nights, it must have enough energy to power internal heaters.

The system, from the performance of its rotors in rarified air to its solar panels, electrical heaters, and other components, has been tested and retested in the vacuum chambers and test labs of NASA’s JPL in Southern California.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11. Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet.

NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been dropped on the surface of the Red Planet ahead of its historic first flight scheduled for April 11. Ingenuity flew to Mars while being attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which made a February 18 touch down on the Red Planet. "#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed! Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 cm) from the rover’s belly to the surface of Mars today," NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, tweeted late on Saturday. "Next milestone? Survive the night." The US space agency last week announced the decision to push back the date of the first attempt to fly the helicopter on Mars from April 8 to 11. Flying in a controlled manner on Mars is far more difficult than flying on Earth. The Red Planet has significant gravity (about one-third that of Earth’s), but its atmosphere is just 1 per cent as dense as Earth’s at the surface. During Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only about half the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth during its daytime, and nighttime temperatures can drop as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius, which can freeze and crack unprotected electrical components. To fit within the available accommodations provided by the Perseverance rover, the Ingenuity helicopter must be small. To fly in the Mars environment, it must be lightweight. To survive the frigid Martian nights, it must have enough energy to power internal heaters. The system, from the performance of its rotors in rarified air to its solar panels, electrical heaters, and other components, has been tested and retested in the vacuum chambers and test labs of NASA’s JPL in Southern California. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter touches down on Mars’ surface

Astronomers have discovered a previously&nbsp;unknown ancient crater lake on Mars, in a recent study.

In a study published in Planetary Science Journal, a team led by researchers from Brown University in the US describe an as-yet to be unnamed crater with some puzzling characteristics. 
 
The crater's floor has unmistakable geologic evidence of ancient stream beds and ponds, yet there's no evidence of inlet channels where water could have entered the crater from outside, and no evidence of groundwater activity where it could have bubbled up from below.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mars-glaciers-give-insights-on-the-planets-many-ice-ages-358330">Mars' glaciers give insights on the planet's many ice ages</a>

The researchers conclude that the system was likely fed by runoff from a long-lost Martian glacier. 
 
Water flowed into the crater atop the glacier, which meant it did not leave behind a valley as it would have had it flowed directly on the ground. 
 
The water eventually emptied into the low-lying crater floor, where it left its geological mark on the bare Martian soil. 
 
The type of lake described in this study differs starkly from other Martian crater lakes, like those at Gale and Jezero craters where NASA rovers are currently exploring. 
 
"This is a previously unrecognized type of hydrological system on Mars," said Ben Boatwright, PhD student at Brown University. 
 
"In lake systems characterised so far, we see evidence of drainage coming from outside the crater, breaching the crater wall and in some cases flowing out the other side. But that`s not what is happening here. Everything is happening inside the crater, and that`s very different than what`s been characterised before." 
 
Importantly, Boatwright said, the crater provides key clues about the early climate of Mars. There`s little doubt that the Martian climate was once warmer and wetter than the frozen desert the planet is today. 
 
What`s less clear, however, is whether Mars had an Earthlike climate with continually flowing water for millennia, or whether it was mostly cold and icy with fleeting periods of warmth and melting. 
 
Climate simulations for early Mars suggest temperatures rarely peaking above freezing, but geological evidence for cold and icy conditions has been sparse, Boatwright said. This new evidence of ancient glaciation could change that. 
 
"The cold and icy scenario has been largely theoretical -- something that arises from climate models," Boatwright said. 
 
"But the evidence for glaciation we see here helps to bridge the gap between theory and observation. I think that's really the big takeaway here." 
 
Boatwright was able to map out the details of the crater`s lake system using high-resolution images taken by NASA`s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Astronomers have discovered a previously unknown ancient crater lake on Mars, in a recent study. In a study published in Planetary Science Journal, a team led by researchers from Brown University in the US describe an as-yet to be unnamed crater with some puzzling characteristics.

Astronomers have discovered a previously unknown ancient crater lake on Mars, in a recent study. In a study published in Planetary Science Journal, a team led by researchers from Brown University in the US describe an as-yet to be unnamed crater with some puzzling characteristics. The crater's floor has unmistakable geologic evidence of ancient stream beds and ponds, yet there's no evidence of inlet channels where water could have entered the crater from outside, and no evidence of groundwater activity where it could have bubbled up from below. Also read| Mars' glaciers give insights on the planet's many ice ages The researchers conclude that the system was likely fed by runoff from a long-lost Martian glacier. Water flowed into the crater atop the glacier, which meant it did not leave behind a valley as it would have had it flowed directly on the ground. The water eventually emptied into the low-lying crater floor, where it left its geological mark on the bare Martian soil. The type of lake described in this study differs starkly from other Martian crater lakes, like those at Gale and Jezero craters where NASA rovers are currently exploring. "This is a previously unrecognized type of hydrological system on Mars," said Ben Boatwright, PhD student at Brown University. "In lake systems characterised so far, we see evidence of drainage coming from outside the crater, breaching the crater wall and in some cases flowing out the other side. But that`s not what is happening here. Everything is happening inside the crater, and that`s very different than what`s been characterised before." Importantly, Boatwright said, the crater provides key clues about the early climate of Mars. There`s little doubt that the Martian climate was once warmer and wetter than the frozen desert the planet is today. What`s less clear, however, is whether Mars had an Earthlike climate with continually flowing water for millennia, or whether it was mostly cold and icy with fleeting periods of warmth and melting. Climate simulations for early Mars suggest temperatures rarely peaking above freezing, but geological evidence for cold and icy conditions has been sparse, Boatwright said. This new evidence of ancient glaciation could change that. "The cold and icy scenario has been largely theoretical -- something that arises from climate models," Boatwright said. "But the evidence for glaciation we see here helps to bridge the gap between theory and observation. I think that's really the big takeaway here." Boatwright was able to map out the details of the crater`s lake system using high-resolution images taken by NASA`s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Astronomers discover previously unknown ancient crater lake on Mars

While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance&nbsp;Mars&nbsp;rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet.

Some of Switzerland's top space experts, including the country's only astronaut, Claude Nicollier, evaluated the detailed mission plan the children had developed over nine months. They were given the all-clear for lift-off on March 8.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/perseverance-searches-for-life-on-mars-369682/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The children "exploded with joy" when they heard, their teacher at the Vivalys private school near Lausanne, Sebastien Roussel, said.

"It was like watching the NASA engineers' ecstatic reaction when Perseverance touched down."

Their destination? A Mars space station conveniently situated a bus-ride away in a secluded wooded area on the outskirts of Lausanne in western Switzerland.

Here, the 16 eight- and nine-year-olds will spend three days carrying out experiments similar to some conducted by actual astronauts, including attempting to grow plants to sustain them on the long journey.

And while the idyllic, snow-sprinkled surroundings are far less hostile than the windswept, dusty surface of Mars, the children wear suits and helmets whenever they step outside.

In a bid to simulate a true space mission, all the children's meals consist of freeze-dried space food. Initial plans for them to sleep on site were meanwhile scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the months of preparation, the children participated in workshops on astronomy and rocket engineering hosted by students at the neighbouring EPFL -- among the most prestigious technical universities in Europe.

The mission required them to use mathematics to calculate the distance to Mars, and they have also sharpened their language skills, learning how to spell the names of the planets.

The first experiment the team embarks upon after arriving at the space station is launching home-made paper rockets into space.

Perseverance's images from Mars have also left some children eager to see humans walk on the red planet.

While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet.

While the world has been riveted by the escapades of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, a group of Swiss primary school children has been eagerly preparing their own mission to the red planet. Some of Switzerland's top space experts, including the country's only astronaut, Claude Nicollier, evaluated the detailed mission plan the children had developed over nine months. They were given the all-clear for lift-off on March 8. The children "exploded with joy" when they heard, their teacher at the Vivalys private school near Lausanne, Sebastien Roussel, said. "It was like watching the NASA engineers' ecstatic reaction when Perseverance touched down." Their destination? A Mars space station conveniently situated a bus-ride away in a secluded wooded area on the outskirts of Lausanne in western Switzerland. Here, the 16 eight- and nine-year-olds will spend three days carrying out experiments similar to some conducted by actual astronauts, including attempting to grow plants to sustain them on the long journey. And while the idyllic, snow-sprinkled surroundings are far less hostile than the windswept, dusty surface of Mars, the children wear suits and helmets whenever they step outside. In a bid to simulate a true space mission, all the children's meals consist of freeze-dried space food. Initial plans for them to sleep on site were meanwhile scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the months of preparation, the children participated in workshops on astronomy and rocket engineering hosted by students at the neighbouring EPFL -- among the most prestigious technical universities in Europe. The mission required them to use mathematics to calculate the distance to Mars, and they have also sharpened their language skills, learning how to spell the names of the planets. The first experiment the team embarks upon after arriving at the space station is launching home-made paper rockets into space. Perseverance's images from Mars have also left some children eager to see humans walk on the red planet.

Students of Swiss primary school preparing for their mission to Mars

NASA said on Friday that it took Mars rover Perseverance 'out for a spin' for a test drive on the red planet. This was the rover's first test drive and it was successful. The six-wheeled rover travelled about 6.5 meters (21.3 feet) in 33 minutes on Thursday, NASA said.

It drove four meters forward, turned in place 150 degrees to the left, and then backed up 2.5 meters, leaving tire tracks in the Martian dust.

"This was our first chance to 'kick the tires' and take Perseverance out for a spin," said Anais Zarifian, Perseverance mobility test bed engineer&nbsp;at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Zarifian said the test drive went "incredibly well" and represented a "huge milestone for the mission and the mobility team."

"We're going to do some longer drives," she added. "This is just the beginning."

NASA engineers said they were studying possible routes for rover for longer voyages on Mars.&nbsp;

The rover can cover 200 meters per Martian day, which is slightly longer than a day on Earth.

And it goes five times faster than Curiosity, its predecessor, which is still functioning eight years after landing on Mars.

Perseverance deputy mission manager Robert Hogg said engineers were also preparing for the first flight of a helicopter drone carried by the rover.

Hogg said the rover team was working out flight zones and hoped to conduct the first flight in late spring or early summer.

He said the mission had not experienced any major problems so far.&nbsp;

"It's all just minor stuff," he said. "Everything we've tried has worked beautifully."

Perseverance was launched on July 30, 2020 and landed on the surface of Mars on February 18 on a mission to search for signs of past life on the Red Planet.

The rover's primary mission will last just over two years but it is likely to remain operational well beyond that.

(With AFP inputs)

NASA said on Friday that it took Mars rover Perseverance 'out for a spin' for a test drive on the red planet. This was the rover's first test drive and it was successful.

NASA said on Friday that it took Mars rover Perseverance 'out for a spin' for a test drive on the red planet. This was the rover's first test drive and it was successful. The six-wheeled rover travelled about 6.5 meters (21.3 feet) in 33 minutes on Thursday, NASA said. It drove four meters forward, turned in place 150 degrees to the left, and then backed up 2.5 meters, leaving tire tracks in the Martian dust. "This was our first chance to 'kick the tires' and take Perseverance out for a spin," said Anais Zarifian, Perseverance mobility test bed engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Zarifian said the test drive went "incredibly well" and represented a "huge milestone for the mission and the mobility team." "We're going to do some longer drives," she added. "This is just the beginning." NASA engineers said they were studying possible routes for rover for longer voyages on Mars. The rover can cover 200 meters per Martian day, which is slightly longer than a day on Earth. And it goes five times faster than Curiosity, its predecessor, which is still functioning eight years after landing on Mars. Perseverance deputy mission manager Robert Hogg said engineers were also preparing for the first flight of a helicopter drone carried by the rover. Hogg said the rover team was working out flight zones and hoped to conduct the first flight in late spring or early summer. He said the mission had not experienced any major problems so far. "It's all just minor stuff," he said. "Everything we've tried has worked beautifully." Perseverance was launched on July 30, 2020 and landed on the surface of Mars on February 18 on a mission to search for signs of past life on the Red Planet. The rover's primary mission will last just over two years but it is likely to remain operational well beyond that. (With AFP inputs)

Mars rover Perseverance takes a test drive on the red planet

Scientists have discovered that the Red Planet had up to 20 separate ice ages in a&nbsp;groundbreaking new analysis of the mysterious glaciers of Mars.

The study has been published in the&nbsp;Proceedings of the National Academies of Science (PNAS) and was conducted by researchers from the&nbsp;University of Arizona, Fitchburg State University, and the University of Texas–Austin.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/united-arab-emirates-publishes-first-photo-from-mars-probe-363569">United Arab Emirates publishes first photo from Mars probe</a>

In the case of the Earth,&nbsp;glaciers covered wide swaths of the planet during the last Ice Age, which reached its peak about 20,000 years ago, before receding to the poles and leaving behind the rocks they pushed behind.

However, on Mars, the glaciers never left, remaining frozen on the Red Planet’s cold surface for more than 300 million years, covered in debris.&nbsp;

According to&nbsp;planetary geologist Joe Levy, “All the rocks and sand carried on that ice have remained on the surface.&nbsp;It’s like putting the ice in a cooler under all those sediments.”

Geologists, however, haven’t been able to tell whether all of those glaciers formed during one massive Martian Ice Age or in multiple separate events over millions of years.

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Since ice ages result from a shift in the tilt of a planet’s axis (known as obliquity), answering that question could tell scientists how Mars’ orbit and climate have changed over time &nbsp;as well as what kind of rocks, gases, or even microbes might be trapped inside the ice.

“There are really good models for Mars’ orbital parameters for the last 20 million years,” says Levy. “After that, the models tend to get chaotic.”

Levy concocted a plan to examine the rocks on the surface of the glaciers as a natural experiment. Since they presumably erode over time, a steady progression of larger to smaller rocks proceeding downhill would point to a single, long ice age event.

Choosing 45 glaciers to examine, Levy acquired high-resolution images collected by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite and set out to count the size and number of rocks. With a resolution of 25 centimetres per pixel, “you can see things the size of a dinner table,” Levy says.

Even at that magnification, however, artificial intelligence can’t accurately determine what is or isn’t a rock on rough glacier surfaces; so Levy enlisted the help of 10 Colgate students during two summers to count and measure some 60,000 big rocks. “We did a kind of virtual fieldwork, walking up and down these glaciers and mapping the boulders,” Levy says.

Levy initially panicked when, far from a tidy progression of boulders by size, the rock sizes seemed to be distributed at random. “In fact, the boulders were telling us a different story,” Levy says. “It wasn’t their size that mattered; it was how they were grouped or clustered.”

Since the rocks were travelling inside the glaciers, they were not eroding, he realized. At the same time, they were distributed in clear bands of debris across the glaciers’ surfaces, marking the limit of separate and distinct flows of ice, formed as Mars wobbled on its axis.

Based on that data, Levy has concluded that Mars has undergone somewhere between six and 20 separate ice ages during the past 300–800 million years.&nbsp;

“This paper is the first geological evidence of what Martian orbit and obliquity might have been doing for hundreds of millions of years,” Levy says. The finding that glaciers formed over time holds implications for planetary geology and even space exploration, he explains. “These glaciers are little time capsules, capturing snapshots of what was blowing around in the Martian atmosphere,” he says. “Now we know that we have access to hundreds of millions of years of Martian history without having to drill down deep through the crust — we can just take a hike along the surface.”

That history includes any signs of life potentially present from Mars’ distant past. “If there are any biomarkers blowing around, those are going to be trapped in the ice too.”

At the same time, eventual explorers to Mars who might need to depend on extracting fresh water from glaciers to survive will need to know that there may be bands of rocks inside them that will make drilling hazardous. Levy and his colleagues are now in the process of mapping the rest of the glaciers on Mars’ surface, hoping with the data they have, artificial intelligence can now be trained to take over the hard work of identifying and counting boulders.

That will bring us one step closer to a complete planetary history of the Red Planet, including the age-old question of whether Mars could ever have supported life.&nbsp;

“There’s a lot of work to be done figuring out the details of Martian climate history,” says Levy, “including when and where it was warm enough and wet enough for there to be brines and liquid water.”

Scientists have discovered that the Red Planet had up to 20 separate ice ages in a groundbreaking new analysis of the mysterious glaciers of Mars. The study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science (PNAS) and was conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona, Fitchburg State University, and the University of Texas–Austin.

Scientists have discovered that the Red Planet had up to 20 separate ice ages in a groundbreaking new analysis of the mysterious glaciers of Mars. The study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science (PNAS) and was conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona, Fitchburg State University, and the University of Texas–Austin. Also read| United Arab Emirates publishes first photo from Mars probe In the case of the Earth, glaciers covered wide swaths of the planet during the last Ice Age, which reached its peak about 20,000 years ago, before receding to the poles and leaving behind the rocks they pushed behind. However, on Mars, the glaciers never left, remaining frozen on the Red Planet’s cold surface for more than 300 million years, covered in debris. According to planetary geologist Joe Levy, “All the rocks and sand carried on that ice have remained on the surface. It’s like putting the ice in a cooler under all those sediments.” Geologists, however, haven’t been able to tell whether all of those glaciers formed during one massive Martian Ice Age or in multiple separate events over millions of years. Since ice ages result from a shift in the tilt of a planet’s axis (known as obliquity), answering that question could tell scientists how Mars’ orbit and climate have changed over time as well as what kind of rocks, gases, or even microbes might be trapped inside the ice. “There are really good models for Mars’ orbital parameters for the last 20 million years,” says Levy. “After that, the models tend to get chaotic.” Levy concocted a plan to examine the rocks on the surface of the glaciers as a natural experiment. Since they presumably erode over time, a steady progression of larger to smaller rocks proceeding downhill would point to a single, long ice age event. Choosing 45 glaciers to examine, Levy acquired high-resolution images collected by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite and set out to count the size and number of rocks. With a resolution of 25 centimetres per pixel, “you can see things the size of a dinner table,” Levy says. Even at that magnification, however, artificial intelligence can’t accurately determine what is or isn’t a rock on rough glacier surfaces; so Levy enlisted the help of 10 Colgate students during two summers to count and measure some 60,000 big rocks. “We did a kind of virtual fieldwork, walking up and down these glaciers and mapping the boulders,” Levy says. Levy initially panicked when, far from a tidy progression of boulders by size, the rock sizes seemed to be distributed at random. “In fact, the boulders were telling us a different story,” Levy says. “It wasn’t their size that mattered; it was how they were grouped or clustered.” Since the rocks were travelling inside the glaciers, they were not eroding, he realized. At the same time, they were distributed in clear bands of debris across the glaciers’ surfaces, marking the limit of separate and distinct flows of ice, formed as Mars wobbled on its axis. Based on that data, Levy has concluded that Mars has undergone somewhere between six and 20 separate ice ages during the past 300–800 million years. “This paper is the first geological evidence of what Martian orbit and obliquity might have been doing for hundreds of millions of years,” Levy says. The finding that glaciers formed over time holds implications for planetary geology and even space exploration, he explains. “These glaciers are little time capsules, capturing snapshots of what was blowing around in the Martian atmosphere,” he says. “Now we know that we have access to hundreds of millions of years of Martian history without having to drill down deep through the crust — we can just take a hike along the surface.” That history includes any signs of life potentially present from Mars’ distant past. “If there are any biomarkers blowing around, those are going to be trapped in the ice too.” At the same time, eventual explorers to Mars who might need to depend on extracting fresh water from glaciers to survive will need to know that there may be bands of rocks inside them that will make drilling hazardous. Levy and his colleagues are now in the process of mapping the rest of the glaciers on Mars’ surface, hoping with the data they have, artificial intelligence can now be trained to take over the hard work of identifying and counting boulders. That will bring us one step closer to a complete planetary history of the Red Planet, including the age-old question of whether Mars could ever have supported life. “There’s a lot of work to be done figuring out the details of Martian climate history,” says Levy, “including when and where it was warm enough and wet enough for there to be brines and liquid water.”

Scientists discover Mars had up to 20 separate ice ages

&nbsp;Some microbes found on Earth may temporarily survive on the surface of Mars, according to a study that could be vital for the success of future missions to the Red Planet.

It comes after&nbsp;the Perseverance rover of&nbsp;the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) touched down on Mars last week.

Scientists at the US space agency and German Aerospace Centre&nbsp;tested the endurance of microorganisms to Martian conditions by launching them into the stratosphere, the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere which closely represents key conditions on Mars.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/as-eyes-set-on-nasas-perseverance-world-races-to-find-mars-mysteries-364447" hreflang="en">As eyes set on NASA's Perseverance, world races to find Mars mysteries</a>

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, paves the way for understanding not only the threat of microbes to space missions but also the opportunities for resource independence from Earth.

"We successfully tested a new way of exposing bacteria and fungi to Mars-like conditions by using a scientific balloon to fly our experimental equipment up to Earth`s stratosphere," said Marta Filipa Cortesao, joint first author of this study from the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne, Germany. 
 
"Some microbes, in particular spores from the black mold fungus, were able to survive the trip, even when exposed to very high UV (ultraviolet) radiation." 
 
Understanding the endurance of microbes to space travel is vital for the success of future missions.

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When searching for extra-terrestrial life, we need to be sure that anything we discover has not just travelled with us from Earth. 
 
"With crewed long-term missions to Mars, we need to know how human-associated micro-organisms would survive on the Red Planet, as some may pose a health risk to astronauts," said joint first author Katharina Siems, also based at the German Aerospace Centre. 
 
"In addition, some microbes could be invaluable for space exploration. They could help us produce food and material supplies independently from Earth, which will be crucial when far away from home." 
 
Many key characteristics of the environment at the Martian surface cannot be found or easily replicated at the surface of our planet. However, above the ozone layer in Earth's middle stratosphere, the conditions are remarkably similar. 
 
"We launched the microbes into the stratosphere inside the MARSBOx (Microbes in Atmosphere for Radiation, Survival and Biological Outcomes experiment) payload, which was kept at Martian pressure and filled with artificial Martian atmosphere throughout the mission," explained Cortesao. 
 
"While not all the microbes survived the trip, one previously detected on the International Space Station, the black mold Aspergillus niger, could be revived after it returned home," explains Siems, who highlights the importance of this ongoing research.

Some microbes found on Earth may temporarily survive on the surface of Mars, according to a study that could be vital for the success of future missions to the Red Planet.

Some microbes found on Earth may temporarily survive on the surface of Mars, according to a study that could be vital for the success of future missions to the Red Planet. It comes after the Perseverance rover of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) touched down on Mars last week. Scientists at the US space agency and German Aerospace Centre tested the endurance of microorganisms to Martian conditions by launching them into the stratosphere, the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere which closely represents key conditions on Mars. Also read: As eyes set on NASA's Perseverance, world races to find Mars mysteries The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, paves the way for understanding not only the threat of microbes to space missions but also the opportunities for resource independence from Earth. "We successfully tested a new way of exposing bacteria and fungi to Mars-like conditions by using a scientific balloon to fly our experimental equipment up to Earth`s stratosphere," said Marta Filipa Cortesao, joint first author of this study from the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne, Germany. "Some microbes, in particular spores from the black mold fungus, were able to survive the trip, even when exposed to very high UV (ultraviolet) radiation." Understanding the endurance of microbes to space travel is vital for the success of future missions. When searching for extra-terrestrial life, we need to be sure that anything we discover has not just travelled with us from Earth. "With crewed long-term missions to Mars, we need to know how human-associated micro-organisms would survive on the Red Planet, as some may pose a health risk to astronauts," said joint first author Katharina Siems, also based at the German Aerospace Centre. "In addition, some microbes could be invaluable for space exploration. They could help us produce food and material supplies independently from Earth, which will be crucial when far away from home." Many key characteristics of the environment at the Martian surface cannot be found or easily replicated at the surface of our planet. However, above the ozone layer in Earth's middle stratosphere, the conditions are remarkably similar. "We launched the microbes into the stratosphere inside the MARSBOx (Microbes in Atmosphere for Radiation, Survival and Biological Outcomes experiment) payload, which was kept at Martian pressure and filled with artificial Martian atmosphere throughout the mission," explained Cortesao. "While not all the microbes survived the trip, one previously detected on the International Space Station, the black mold Aspergillus niger, could be revived after it returned home," explains Siems, who highlights the importance of this ongoing research.

Study reveals microbes from Earth could temporarily survive on Mars

Reaching Mars is the pinnacle of scientific prowess and perhaps, a crowning moment for any nation. But the race to the red planet also stands to crowd its orbit.

Three separate missions to Mars launched by the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) all reached their destination in July, 2020 after taking flight within just 11 days of each other.

UAE's Hope mission lifted off on July 19, China's Tianwen-I on July 23 and US' mission on July 30.

Why July? Because the month offered a unique launch window with minimum fuel requirements.

The UAE's hope was the first to arrive. Al Amal will spend 687 days — a period equivalent to one year on Mars — gathering information on the Martian atmosphere and surveying the planet’s weather patterns throughout its four seasons.

Omran Sharaf, Project Director, Emirates Mars Mission, to this end, said, "For us as a nation, we look at this mission as 90 per cent of it has been achieved. Because this mission was never about just reaching Mars. The government was very clear since day one when this mission was announced that reaching Mars is just a means for a much bigger objective and goals."

The foray into space is part of the UAE's diversification drive. Once the oil taps run dry, they will have to fall back on science and technology.

And space missions will be crucial here.

Following Hope, the Chinese probe reached Mars. Inside the spacecraft, there was a rover of the size of a golf cart.

In a few months time, it will detach from the orbiter, and descend to the martian surface.

Later this month, another visitor will descend on Mars -- probe missions from NASA.

Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, said, "We had success this time. But it's just the first step of our long march. We will carefully prepare for and carry out orbiting, landing and detection in the future. We look forward to a big success of the mission."

By February 18, NASA's Mars 2020 should also be in orbit.

Like China, the American mission too is hoping to land a rover.

Collectively, these missions will enhance our knowledge about Mars and its habitability.

The success of the UAE's Hope mission is also an open challenge. It shatters the perception that only world powers can reach for the stars.

Robert Zubrin, president of the Mars society, says, "You know, if the UAE can launch a Mars mission, then Switzerland can launch a Mars mission, and New Zealand can launch one, and South Korea or Taiwan can launch. They all have resources on that scale. So, in a certain sense, it throws down a challenge. Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, name it, okay. Why haven't you done a Mars mission?"

Reaching Mars is the pinnacle of scientific prowess and perhaps, a crowning moment for any nation. But the race to the red planet also stands to crowd its orbit.

Reaching Mars is the pinnacle of scientific prowess and perhaps, a crowning moment for any nation. But the race to the red planet also stands to crowd its orbit. Three separate missions to Mars launched by the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) all reached their destination in July, 2020 after taking flight within just 11 days of each other. UAE's Hope mission lifted off on July 19, China's Tianwen-I on July 23 and US' mission on July 30. Why July? Because the month offered a unique launch window with minimum fuel requirements. The UAE's hope was the first to arrive. Al Amal will spend 687 days — a period equivalent to one year on Mars — gathering information on the Martian atmosphere and surveying the planet’s weather patterns throughout its four seasons. Omran Sharaf, Project Director, Emirates Mars Mission, to this end, said, "For us as a nation, we look at this mission as 90 per cent of it has been achieved. Because this mission was never about just reaching Mars. The government was very clear since day one when this mission was announced that reaching Mars is just a means for a much bigger objective and goals." The foray into space is part of the UAE's diversification drive. Once the oil taps run dry, they will have to fall back on science and technology. And space missions will be crucial here. Following Hope, the Chinese probe reached Mars. Inside the spacecraft, there was a rover of the size of a golf cart. In a few months time, it will detach from the orbiter, and descend to the martian surface. Later this month, another visitor will descend on Mars -- probe missions from NASA. Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, said, "We had success this time. But it's just the first step of our long march. We will carefully prepare for and carry out orbiting, landing and detection in the future. We look forward to a big success of the mission." By February 18, NASA's Mars 2020 should also be in orbit. Like China, the American mission too is hoping to land a rover. Collectively, these missions will enhance our knowledge about Mars and its habitability. The success of the UAE's Hope mission is also an open challenge. It shatters the perception that only world powers can reach for the stars. Robert Zubrin, president of the Mars society, says, "You know, if the UAE can launch a Mars mission, then Switzerland can launch a Mars mission, and New Zealand can launch one, and South Korea or Taiwan can launch. They all have resources on that scale. So, in a certain sense, it throws down a challenge. Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, name it, okay. Why haven't you done a Mars mission?"

The Red Planet is about to get a little crowded

3 spacecraft are on their way to find life on Mars. UAE'S 'Hope Orbiter', NASA's 'Perseverance' rover & China's 'Tianwen-1' mission. Which one will be the first to arrive?

Gravitas: The race to the 'Red Planet'

Looks like we might be getting closer to discovering life on mars. Two years ago, scientists discovered a large reservoir under Mars icy surface. Now, they have found three such more lakes!

On Monday, a paper in Nature Astronomy claimed that researchers have found three lakes burrowed under the red planet’s surface, in addition to the saltwater lake discovered earlier. Radar data from the European Space Agency (ESA) was used to discover the water bodies.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-plans-mission-to-moon-by-2024-to-cost-28-billion-329344" hreflang="en">NASA plans mission to moon by 2024, to cost $28 billion</a>

The report quoted one of the paper’s authors - Elena Pettinelli from the University Rome, who called the discovery mechanism ‘complex’ - "We identified the same body of water, but we also found three other bodies of water around the main one...It's a complex system."

The lakes are spread across 75,000 square kilometres. The largest lake, which lies in the centre of all three is 30 kilometres long, while the three smaller lakes are a “few kilometres wide”.

This discovery could lay the groundwork for finding more life-sustaining characteristics on our neighbour, which has been under the watchful eye of the top brass, given the severity of climate change, which experts fear is nearing a point of no return for Earth.

Scientists believe that such lakes could point to existence of life on Mars!

The detection of three lakes is an extrapolation of the previous findings in the previous region which pointed to what’s being dubbed as the central lake. It was found in 2018, making the first liquid water body ever detected on Mars, which could also mean there is potential scope of life on the planet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-images-of-jupiter-show-new-storm-moving-at-350-mph-328571" hreflang="en">New images of Jupiter show new storm moving at 350 mph</a>

The report, however added that the “finding was based on just 29 observations made from 2012 to 2015." As opposed to that, the new study took into account broader data signifiers - taking into account 134 observations between 2012 and 2019.

Scientists also believe that the salt content in any Martian lake will be over the roof! According to Pettinelli, “from a thermal point of view it has to be salty."

Water bodies with salt content five times over seawater can sustain life. But if the salt content is 20 times over Earth seawater levels, life cannot exist in such water bodies, the report added, while quoting John Priscu, an environmental scientist from the Montana State University.

Looks like we might be getting closer to discovering life on mars. Two years ago, scientists discovered a large reservoir under Mars icy surface. Now, they have found three such more lakes!

Looks like we might be getting closer to discovering life on mars. Two years ago, scientists discovered a large reservoir under Mars icy surface. Now, they have found three such more lakes! On Monday, a paper in Nature Astronomy claimed that researchers have found three lakes burrowed under the red planet’s surface, in addition to the saltwater lake discovered earlier. Radar data from the European Space Agency (ESA) was used to discover the water bodies. Also read: NASA plans mission to moon by 2024, to cost $28 billion The report quoted one of the paper’s authors - Elena Pettinelli from the University Rome, who called the discovery mechanism ‘complex’ - "We identified the same body of water, but we also found three other bodies of water around the main one...It's a complex system." The lakes are spread across 75,000 square kilometres. The largest lake, which lies in the centre of all three is 30 kilometres long, while the three smaller lakes are a “few kilometres wide”. This discovery could lay the groundwork for finding more life-sustaining characteristics on our neighbour, which has been under the watchful eye of the top brass, given the severity of climate change, which experts fear is nearing a point of no return for Earth. Scientists believe that such lakes could point to existence of life on Mars! The detection of three lakes is an extrapolation of the previous findings in the previous region which pointed to what’s being dubbed as the central lake. It was found in 2018, making the first liquid water body ever detected on Mars, which could also mean there is potential scope of life on the planet. Also read: New images of Jupiter show new storm moving at 350 mph The report, however added that the “finding was based on just 29 observations made from 2012 to 2015." As opposed to that, the new study took into account broader data signifiers - taking into account 134 observations between 2012 and 2019. Scientists also believe that the salt content in any Martian lake will be over the roof! According to Pettinelli, “from a thermal point of view it has to be salty." Water bodies with salt content five times over seawater can sustain life. But if the salt content is 20 times over Earth seawater levels, life cannot exist in such water bodies, the report added, while quoting John Priscu, an environmental scientist from the Montana State University.

Hints of life on Mars? Scientists find three lakes buried under the red planet's surface!

Mars&nbsp;has two&nbsp;''lumpy'' moons and their existence suggests that the red planet had rings&nbsp;around,&nbsp;like some of the larger planets in our solar system.

The findings were&nbsp;presented&nbsp;during the 236th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which is being held virtually this week during the pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-seeking-volunteers-for-paid-isolation-during-fake-mars-mission-300990">NASA seeking volunteers for paid isolation during 'fake' Mars mission</a>

The two lumpy moons, Phobos and Deimos, were both discovered in 1877 and named after the sons of Ares from Greek mythology.

Mars is named after the Roman god of war, which is Ares in Greek. Phobos means fear or panic and Deimos means dread.

Scientists believed that they were asteroids captured by the planet's gravity for a very long time.&nbsp;Both appear to be&nbsp;similar in composition to blackish carbonaceous chondrite asteroids.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-origin-teenager-names-nasas-first-mars-helicopter-296108">Indian-origin teenager names NASA’s first Mars helicopter</a>

However,&nbsp;the recent research revealed that the moons are nearly in the same plane as the Martian equator. This suggests that they formed around the same time Mars did around 4.5 billion years ago.

Over time, Phobos&nbsp;will lose&nbsp;height as it interacts with Martian gravity and eventually, its orbit will be too low and Mars will essentially rip it into pieces that form a ring around the planet. It's estimated that this will happen within 50 million years.

Phobos, slightly larger than Deimos, is only about 3,700 miles above the Martian surface, no known moon in our solar system is closer to its planet.&nbsp;

Being so close, Phobos completes three orbits around Mars in one Earth day, while Deimos, which is more distant, takes about 30 Earth hours to complete an orbit.

The researchers believe that Phobos once had a grandparent 3 billion years ago that they called proto-Phobos — likely 20 times more massive as the small moon is now. Over the course of a few moon-ring cycles, it became Phobos — which would explain why some researchers believe it only formed about 200 million years ago.

A prominent ring around Mars would have pushed proto-Phobos outward, away from the planet. This would have also affected proto-Phobos' orbital resonance with Deimos and pushed it further from Mars as well.

The Japanese space agency, JAXA, plans to send a spacecraft to Phobos in 2024 to collect samples from the surface and return them to Earth. This may reveal more about the moon's past.

Mars has two ''lumpy'' moons and their existence suggests that the red planet had rings around, like some of the larger planets in our solar system. The findings were presented during the 236th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which is being held virtually this week during the pandemic.

Mars has two ''lumpy'' moons and their existence suggests that the red planet had rings around, like some of the larger planets in our solar system. The findings were presented during the 236th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which is being held virtually this week during the pandemic. Also read: NASA seeking volunteers for paid isolation during 'fake' Mars mission The two lumpy moons, Phobos and Deimos, were both discovered in 1877 and named after the sons of Ares from Greek mythology. Mars is named after the Roman god of war, which is Ares in Greek. Phobos means fear or panic and Deimos means dread. Scientists believed that they were asteroids captured by the planet's gravity for a very long time. Both appear to be similar in composition to blackish carbonaceous chondrite asteroids. Also read: Indian-origin teenager names NASA’s first Mars helicopter However, the recent research revealed that the moons are nearly in the same plane as the Martian equator. This suggests that they formed around the same time Mars did around 4.5 billion years ago. Over time, Phobos will lose height as it interacts with Martian gravity and eventually, its orbit will be too low and Mars will essentially rip it into pieces that form a ring around the planet. It's estimated that this will happen within 50 million years. Phobos, slightly larger than Deimos, is only about 3,700 miles above the Martian surface, no known moon in our solar system is closer to its planet. Being so close, Phobos completes three orbits around Mars in one Earth day, while Deimos, which is more distant, takes about 30 Earth hours to complete an orbit. The researchers believe that Phobos once had a grandparent 3 billion years ago that they called proto-Phobos — likely 20 times more massive as the small moon is now. Over the course of a few moon-ring cycles, it became Phobos — which would explain why some researchers believe it only formed about 200 million years ago. A prominent ring around Mars would have pushed proto-Phobos outward, away from the planet. This would have also affected proto-Phobos' orbital resonance with Deimos and pushed it further from Mars as well. The Japanese space agency, JAXA, plans to send a spacecraft to Phobos in 2024 to collect samples from the surface and return them to Earth. This may reveal more about the moon's past.

Mars' 'lumpy' moons suggests existence of ring around it

Ever wonder what life would be like on the Red Planet? An ongoing exhibition in London gives a taste of how integral design will be in humanity's journey to Mars.

'Moving to Mars' design exhibition is running till February 23 at the Design Museum in London and has more than 200 exhibits on display from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasas-trip-to-mars-begins-in-california-clean-room-270678">NASA</a>, SpaceX, the European Space Agency and many others.&nbsp;

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I went to the moving to mars exhibition today at the London Design Museum &amp; it was awesome! I highly recommend it, they have good amount of history on spaceflight, as well as the tech being developed for future missions to Mars. It's really reinforced my eagerness to get to Mars! <a href="https://t.co/qT8vUqzc4n">pic.twitter.com/qT8vUqzc4n</a>
— Dr Maggie Lieu (@Space_Mog) <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Mog/status/1198352326945394696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The exhibition is about all things Mars and what will it take for the mankind to reach and start a life on the Red Planet.

From Mars-inspired fashion collection, Mars city design, the first spacesuit designed for Mars surface to the first sustainable urban design for the planet - a lot more is on the display for the visitors and space enthusiasts at the exhibition.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unique-salt-formations-found-in-utah-can-provide-insights-regarding-life-on-mars-274462">Unique salt formations found in Utah provide insights regarding life on Mars</a>

Not just this, visitors will also get a delightful experience of gazing at the high-resolution imagery from Mars which has never been seen in public before, People can also visit a full-scale Mars home, learn about the evolution of space suits and meet the Mars rovers.&nbsp;

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Moving to Mars @ The Design Museum is definitely worth checking out too, London has the best exhibitions during winter <a href="https://t.co/3rSzojv6Zl">pic.twitter.com/3rSzojv6Zl</a>
— DARNELL TEMENU (@DarnellTemenu) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarnellTemenu/status/1199384476272484352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Àlso read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-indian-software-analyst-writes-national-anthem-for-mars-271894">Former Indian software analyst writes ‘national’ anthem for Mars</a>

Designers have also installed their vision on what farming will look like on the Red Planet and how transporting food for the journey to Mars will be made possible.&nbsp;

Ever wonder what life would be like on the Red Planet? An ongoing exhibition in London gives a taste of how integral design will be in humanity's journey to Mars.

Ever wonder what life would be like on the Red Planet? An ongoing exhibition in London gives a taste of how integral design will be in humanity's journey to Mars. 'Moving to Mars' design exhibition is running till February 23 at the Design Museum in London and has more than 200 exhibits on display from NASA, SpaceX, the European Space Agency and many others. I went to the moving to mars exhibition today at the London Design Museum & it was awesome! I highly recommend it, they have good amount of history on spaceflight, as well as the tech being developed for future missions to Mars. It's really reinforced my eagerness to get to Mars! pic.twitter.com/qT8vUqzc4n — Dr Maggie Lieu (@Space_Mog) November 23, 2019 × The exhibition is about all things Mars and what will it take for the mankind to reach and start a life on the Red Planet. From Mars-inspired fashion collection, Mars city design, the first spacesuit designed for Mars surface to the first sustainable urban design for the planet - a lot more is on the display for the visitors and space enthusiasts at the exhibition. Also read: Unique salt formations found in Utah provide insights regarding life on Mars Not just this, visitors will also get a delightful experience of gazing at the high-resolution imagery from Mars which has never been seen in public before, People can also visit a full-scale Mars home, learn about the evolution of space suits and meet the Mars rovers. Moving to Mars @ The Design Museum is definitely worth checking out too, London has the best exhibitions during winter pic.twitter.com/3rSzojv6Zl — DARNELL TEMENU (@DarnellTemenu) November 26, 2019 × Àlso read: Former Indian software analyst writes ‘national’ anthem for Mars Designers have also installed their vision on what farming will look like on the Red Planet and how transporting food for the journey to Mars will be made possible.

Beyond Earth: Designers give a peek into what life could look like on Mars

Gravitas: China's Mars Mission: Beijing Tests Mars Lander

To prepare for the next mission to Mars in 2020, NASA has taken to the lava fields of Iceland to get its new robotic space explorer ready for the job. With its black basalt sand, wind-swept dunes and craggy peaks, the Lambahraun lava field at the foot of Iceland's second biggest glacier, Langjokull, was chosen as a stand-in for the Red Planet's surface.

To prepare for the next mission to Mars in 2020, NASA has taken to the lava fields of Iceland to get its new robotic space explorer ready for the job. With its black basalt sand, wind-swept dunes and craggy peaks, the Lambahraun lava field at the foot of Iceland's second biggest glacier, Langjokull, was chosen as a stand-in for the Red Planet's surface. For three weeks, 15 scientists and engineers sent by the US space agency descended on the site, 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the capital, Reykjavik, last month to develop a prototype. It will aim to continue the work of the "Curiosity" rover, which has been exploring Mars since 2012 in search of signs of ancient life and making preparations for human exploration. Experts say that Iceland, a volcanic island in the middle of the North Atlantic, is in many ways reminiscent of the fourth planet from the Sun. "It's a very good analogue for Mars exploration and learning how to drive Mars rovers," said Adam Deslauriers, manager of space and education, at Canada's Mission Control Space Services. The company has been commissioned by NASA to test a rover prototype as part of the SAND-E (Semi-Autonomous Navigation for Detrital Environments) project. 'Indestructible' The prototype is a small, electric vehicle with white panels and an orange chassis. It has a four-wheel-drive propelled by two motors and is powered by 12 small car batteries stacked inside. "This rover we have is indestructible," Deslauriers told AFP. "The rovers that we have on Mars and the Moon would be a lot more sensitive to the environment and conditions of Iceland. "A Moon rover is completely unprepared for rain," he added, just as a rain shower swept in. Equipped with sensors, a computer, a dual-lens camera and controlled remotely, the rover moves its approximately 570 kilograms (1,257 pounds) at a leisurely speed of about 20 centimetres (7.9 inches) per second. The speed needs to be slow to enable the rover to collect data and imagery properly, Mark Vandermeulen, a robotics engineer at Mission Control Space Services, said. The meagre pace on the lava field is still two to four times faster than the speed it will be driving at its extraterrestrial destination. Transmitting from Mars to Earth Utilising its sensors and camera, the rover gathers and classifies data from its environment and sends back the findings to the engineers' trailer. The engineers then package the data and forward it to a tent where the scientists are huddled, to simulate how the data would be sent from Mars to Earth. The rover exploring Iceland is just a prototype for the one that will be going to Mars next year. That one, which has yet to be named, will also be able to collect samples and store them in tubes to be brought back to Earth by future missions. As the prototype isn't capable of doing this, researchers walk to the area studied, armed with radiometers and other equipment, to collect all the data samples that the finished rover would be able to do. 'Similar to Mars' The sites are selected to study how the chemical composition and physical properties of the sand and rocks change as they move from the glacier to a nearby river. Before Mars became an inhospitable frozen desert with an average temperature of minus 63 degrees C (minus 81.4 degrees F), scientists believe that the planet shared many of the characteristics of the subarctic island. "The mineralogy in Iceland is very similar to what we would find on Mars," Ryan Ewing, associate professor of geology at Texas A&M University, said. In particular, Ewing referred to minerals such as olivine and pyroxenes, both dark so-called mafic rocks, which have also been found on Mars. "In addition to that, we don't have much vegetation, it's cold and we have some of the environments like sand dunes and rivers and glaciers that Mars has evidence of in the past," Ewing said. Iceland has previously been used as a training ground for NASA missions. During the Apollo mission years, 32 astronauts in the mid-1960s received geological training in the Askja lava fields and near the Krafla crater in the north of the country. The setting allows NASA to test equipment and procedures, as well as the people performing them, in extreme environments while remaining on terra firma. Mission Control says it is planning to return to Iceland next summer before the launch of the next Mars rover mission, scheduled between July 17 and August 5, 2020.

NASA descends on Icelandic lava field to prepare for Mars

NASA's top scientists admitted to sleepless nights, sweaty palms, stomach aches and moments of pure terror as their $993 million Mars InSight spacecraft approaches a high-drama finale Monday: landing on Mars.

Mars InSight's goal is listen for quakes and tremors as a way to unveil <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/one-lakh-indians-have-signed-up-for-nasas-next-mission-to-mars-23798">the Red Planet's inner mysteries</a>, how it formed billions of years ago, and by extension, how other rocky planets like Earth took shape.&nbsp;

The unmanned spacecraft launched nearly seven months ago, and is NASA's first to attempt to touch down on Earth's neighbouring planet since the Curiosity rover arrived in 2012.&nbsp;

More than half of 43 attempts to reach Mars with rovers, orbiters and probes by space agencies from around the world have failed.&nbsp;

NASA is the only space agency to have made it, and is invested in these robotic missions as a way to prepare for the first Mars-bound human explorers in the 2030s.

"We never take Mars for granted. Mars is hard," said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for the science mission directorate, on Sunday.

'An absolutely terrifying thought'

The high drama of the entry, descent and landing phase begins at 11:47 am (1940 GMT) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, home to mission control for Mars InSight.

A carefully orchestrated sequence -- already fully preprogrammed on board the spacecraft -- takes place over the next several minutes, coined "six and a half minutes of terror."

Speeding faster than a bullet at 12,300 mph (19,800 kph), the heat-shielded spacecraft encounters scorching frictions as it enters Mars' atmosphere.

The heat shield soars to a temperature of 2,700 Fahrenheit (about 1,500 Celsius). Radio signals may be briefly lost.

The heat shield is discarded, the three landing legs deploy, and the parachute pops out.&nbsp;

"We freefall for just a little bit, which is an absolutely terrifying thought for me," said Tom Hoffman, project manager of InSight.

But then, the spacecraft's thrusters begin to fire, further slowing down the 800-pound (365 kilogram) spacecraft to a speed of just about 5 mph (8 kph) when it reaches the surface.

Since there is no joystick back on Earth for this spacecraft, and no way to intervene if anything goes wrong, Hoffman described his emotions as mixed.

"I am completely comfortable and completely nervous at the same time," he said.

"We have done everything we can think to make sure we are going to be successful, but you just never know what is going to happen."

Hoffman, who is father to a two- and four-year-old, added that has "not been sleeping that great," though he said that might because of his rambunctious toddlers.

But when the first signal arrives at 2001 GMT, hopefully showing that the lander set itself down, intact and upright, "I am totally going to unleash my inner four-year-old at that point," he said.

Goal: 3D map of inner Mars

Zurbuchen described InSight as "unique" because the waist-high lander contains instruments that were contributed by several European space agencies.

France's Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) made the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument, the key element for sensing quakes.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) provided a self-hammering mole that can burrow 16 feet (five meters) into the surface -- further than any instrument before -- to measure heat flow.

Spain's Centro de Astrobiologia made the spacecraft's wind sensors.

Other significant contributions to the project came from the Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland, the Swiss Institute of Technology in Switzerland, and the Imperial College and Oxford University in Britain.

Together, these instruments will use physics to study geological processes, said Bruce Banerdt, InSight's principal investigator at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

By listening for tremors on Mars, whether from quakes or meteor impacts or even volcanic activity, scientists can learn more about its interior and reveal how the planet formed.

The goal is to map the inside of Mars in three dimensions, "so we understand the inside of Mars as well as we have come to understand the outside of Mars," Banerdt told reporters.

Understanding how Mars formed could reveal more about the processes that formed Earth, too.

NASA's top scientists admitted to sleepless nights, sweaty palms, stomach aches and moments of pure terror as their $993 million Mars InSight spacecraft approaches a high-drama finale Monday: landing on Mars.

NASA's top scientists admitted to sleepless nights, sweaty palms, stomach aches and moments of pure terror as their $993 million Mars InSight spacecraft approaches a high-drama finale Monday: landing on Mars. Mars InSight's goal is listen for quakes and tremors as a way to unveil the Red Planet's inner mysteries, how it formed billions of years ago, and by extension, how other rocky planets like Earth took shape. The unmanned spacecraft launched nearly seven months ago, and is NASA's first to attempt to touch down on Earth's neighbouring planet since the Curiosity rover arrived in 2012. More than half of 43 attempts to reach Mars with rovers, orbiters and probes by space agencies from around the world have failed. NASA is the only space agency to have made it, and is invested in these robotic missions as a way to prepare for the first Mars-bound human explorers in the 2030s. "We never take Mars for granted. Mars is hard," said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for the science mission directorate, on Sunday. 'An absolutely terrifying thought' The high drama of the entry, descent and landing phase begins at 11:47 am (1940 GMT) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, home to mission control for Mars InSight. A carefully orchestrated sequence -- already fully preprogrammed on board the spacecraft -- takes place over the next several minutes, coined "six and a half minutes of terror." Speeding faster than a bullet at 12,300 mph (19,800 kph), the heat-shielded spacecraft encounters scorching frictions as it enters Mars' atmosphere. The heat shield soars to a temperature of 2,700 Fahrenheit (about 1,500 Celsius). Radio signals may be briefly lost. The heat shield is discarded, the three landing legs deploy, and the parachute pops out. "We freefall for just a little bit, which is an absolutely terrifying thought for me," said Tom Hoffman, project manager of InSight. But then, the spacecraft's thrusters begin to fire, further slowing down the 800-pound (365 kilogram) spacecraft to a speed of just about 5 mph (8 kph) when it reaches the surface. Since there is no joystick back on Earth for this spacecraft, and no way to intervene if anything goes wrong, Hoffman described his emotions as mixed. "I am completely comfortable and completely nervous at the same time," he said. "We have done everything we can think to make sure we are going to be successful, but you just never know what is going to happen." Hoffman, who is father to a two- and four-year-old, added that has "not been sleeping that great," though he said that might because of his rambunctious toddlers. But when the first signal arrives at 2001 GMT, hopefully showing that the lander set itself down, intact and upright, "I am totally going to unleash my inner four-year-old at that point," he said. Goal: 3D map of inner Mars Zurbuchen described InSight as "unique" because the waist-high lander contains instruments that were contributed by several European space agencies. France's Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) made the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument, the key element for sensing quakes. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) provided a self-hammering mole that can burrow 16 feet (five meters) into the surface -- further than any instrument before -- to measure heat flow. Spain's Centro de Astrobiologia made the spacecraft's wind sensors. Other significant contributions to the project came from the Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland, the Swiss Institute of Technology in Switzerland, and the Imperial College and Oxford University in Britain. Together, these instruments will use physics to study geological processes, said Bruce Banerdt, InSight's principal investigator at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. By listening for tremors on Mars, whether from quakes or meteor impacts or even volcanic activity, scientists can learn more about its interior and reveal how the planet formed. The goal is to map the inside of Mars in three dimensions, "so we understand the inside of Mars as well as we have come to understand the outside of Mars," Banerdt told reporters. Understanding how Mars formed could reveal more about the processes that formed Earth, too.

Anxiety at NASA as it attempts Mars landing today

NASA`s first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world hurtled closer to Mars on course for a planned touchdown on Monday after a six-month voyage through space.

Travelling 301 million miles (548 million km) from Earth, the Mars InSight spacecraft was due to reach its destination on the dusty, rock-strewn surface of the Red Planet at about 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT).

If all goes according to plan, InSight will streak into the pink Martian sky at 12,000 miles per hour (19,310 kilometers per hour). Its 77-mile descent to the surface will be slowed by atmospheric friction, a giant parachute and retro rockets. When it lands 6-1/2 minutes later, it will be traveling a mere 5 mph (8 kph).

The stationary probe, which launched from California in May, will then pause for 16 minutes for the dust to settle, literally, around the landing site before its disc-shaped solar arrays unfurl to provide power.&nbsp;

The mission control team at NASA`s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) near Los Angeles hopes to get real-time electronic confirmation of the spacecraft`s safe arrival from miniature satellites that were launched along with InSight and will fly past Mars.

The JPL controllers also expect to receive a photo of the probe`s surroundings on the flat, smooth Martian plain close to the planet`s equator called the Elysium Planitia.

The site is roughly 373 miles (600 km) from the 2012 landing spot of the car-sized Mars rover Curiosity, the last spacecraft sent to the Red Planet by NASA.

The smaller, 880-pound (360 kg) InSight - its name is short for Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport - marks the 21st US-launched Martian exploration including the Mariner fly-by missions of the 1960s. Nearly two dozen other Mars missions have been sent from other nations.

HOW ROCKY PLANETS FORMED

InSight is the first dedicated to unlocking secrets from deep below the Martian surface. The lander will spend 24 months - about one Martian year - using seismic monitoring and underground drilling to gather clues on how Mars formed and, by extension, the origins of Earth and other rocky planets of the inner solar system more than 4 billion years ago.

"What this helps us understand is how we got to here," said JPL`s Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator, during a pre-landing briefing with reporters last week.

While Earth`s tectonics and other forces have erased most evidence of its early history, much of Mars - about one-third the size of Earth - is believed to have remained largely static over the eons, creating a geologic time machine for scientists.

InSight`s primary instrument is a highly sensitive French-built seismometer, designed to detect the slightest vibrations from "marsquakes" and meteor impacts.&nbsp;

Scientists expect to see a dozen to 100 marsquakes over the course of the mission, producing data to help them deduce the size, density and composition of the planet.&nbsp;

The Viking probes of the mid-1970s were equipped with seismometers, but they were bolted atop the landers, a design that proved largely ineffective.

InSight also is fitted with a German-made drill to burrow as much as 16 feet (5 meters) underground, pulling behind it a rope-like thermal probe to measure heat.

Meanwhile, a radio transmitter will send signals back to Earth, tracking Mars` subtle rotational wobble to reveal the size of the planet`s core and possibly whether it remains molten.

The InSight and next rover mission, along with others in the planning stage, are seen as precursors for eventual human exploration of Mars, NASA officials said.

NASA`s first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world hurtled closer to Mars on course for a planned touchdown on Monday after a six-month voyage through space.

NASA`s first robotic lander designed to study the deep interior of a distant world hurtled closer to Mars on course for a planned touchdown on Monday after a six-month voyage through space. Travelling 301 million miles (548 million km) from Earth, the Mars InSight spacecraft was due to reach its destination on the dusty, rock-strewn surface of the Red Planet at about 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT). If all goes according to plan, InSight will streak into the pink Martian sky at 12,000 miles per hour (19,310 kilometers per hour). Its 77-mile descent to the surface will be slowed by atmospheric friction, a giant parachute and retro rockets. When it lands 6-1/2 minutes later, it will be traveling a mere 5 mph (8 kph). The stationary probe, which launched from California in May, will then pause for 16 minutes for the dust to settle, literally, around the landing site before its disc-shaped solar arrays unfurl to provide power. The mission control team at NASA`s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) near Los Angeles hopes to get real-time electronic confirmation of the spacecraft`s safe arrival from miniature satellites that were launched along with InSight and will fly past Mars. The JPL controllers also expect to receive a photo of the probe`s surroundings on the flat, smooth Martian plain close to the planet`s equator called the Elysium Planitia. The site is roughly 373 miles (600 km) from the 2012 landing spot of the car-sized Mars rover Curiosity, the last spacecraft sent to the Red Planet by NASA. The smaller, 880-pound (360 kg) InSight - its name is short for Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport - marks the 21st US-launched Martian exploration including the Mariner fly-by missions of the 1960s. Nearly two dozen other Mars missions have been sent from other nations. HOW ROCKY PLANETS FORMED InSight is the first dedicated to unlocking secrets from deep below the Martian surface. The lander will spend 24 months - about one Martian year - using seismic monitoring and underground drilling to gather clues on how Mars formed and, by extension, the origins of Earth and other rocky planets of the inner solar system more than 4 billion years ago. "What this helps us understand is how we got to here," said JPL`s Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator, during a pre-landing briefing with reporters last week. While Earth`s tectonics and other forces have erased most evidence of its early history, much of Mars - about one-third the size of Earth - is believed to have remained largely static over the eons, creating a geologic time machine for scientists. InSight`s primary instrument is a highly sensitive French-built seismometer, designed to detect the slightest vibrations from "marsquakes" and meteor impacts. Scientists expect to see a dozen to 100 marsquakes over the course of the mission, producing data to help them deduce the size, density and composition of the planet. The Viking probes of the mid-1970s were equipped with seismometers, but they were bolted atop the landers, a design that proved largely ineffective. InSight also is fitted with a German-made drill to burrow as much as 16 feet (5 meters) underground, pulling behind it a rope-like thermal probe to measure heat. Meanwhile, a radio transmitter will send signals back to Earth, tracking Mars` subtle rotational wobble to reveal the size of the planet`s core and possibly whether it remains molten. The InSight and next rover mission, along with others in the planning stage, are seen as precursors for eventual human exploration of Mars, NASA officials said.

NASA spacecraft nears Red Planet on mission to detect 'marsquakes'

Images taken by a NASA Mars orbiter indicate that a missing European space probe dispatched to Mars on a trial run had crashed and exploded on the Red Planet on Friday.

Confirming Europe&#39;s second failed attempt to reach the planet, the mission said they lost contact with the Schiaparelli probe 50 seconds before its scheduled touchdown.&nbsp;

The tiny disc-shaped lander was part of the Russian-European ExoMars programme to search for evidence of life on the Red Planet.&nbsp;

The European Space Agency said&nbsp;the image contained a white spot, believed to be the lander&#39;s parachute spread out on the crash site. The black spot is &quot;larger than it would have been if Schiaparelli was in one piece&quot;, flight director Michel Denis told AFP. &quot;It is smashed.&quot;

The ESA said the lander&#39;s speed-breaking retro-rocket boosters appeared to have switched off prematurely. &quot;Estimates are that Schiaparelli dropped from a height of between two and four kilometres, therefore impacting at a considerable speed, greater than 300 kilometres (186 miles) per hour,&quot; it said in a statement. &quot;It is also possible that the lander exploded on impact as its thruster propellant tanks were likely still full.&quot;

The agency insisted the problems encountered by Schiaparelli were part of the trial-run and would inform the rover design. Its mothership Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) had entered Mars&#39; orbit as planned.&nbsp;

The pair comprised phase one of a project dubbed ExoMars through which Europe and Russia seek to join the United States in operating a successful rover on Mars. It agency said it would also seek additional funding from European governments for ExMars, due to be launched in 2020.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Ending two days of uncertainty about the probe's fate, the European Space Agency said Schiaparelli had 'crashed on the surface of Mars'

Images taken by a NASA Mars orbiter indicate that a missing European space probe dispatched to Mars on a trial run had crashed and exploded on the Red Planet on Friday. Confirming Europe's second failed attempt to reach the planet, the mission said they lost contact with the Schiaparelli probe 50 seconds before its scheduled touchdown. The tiny disc-shaped lander was part of the Russian-European ExoMars programme to search for evidence of life on the Red Planet. The European Space Agency said the image contained a white spot, believed to be the lander's parachute spread out on the crash site. The black spot is "larger than it would have been if Schiaparelli was in one piece", flight director Michel Denis told AFP. "It is smashed." The ESA said the lander's speed-breaking retro-rocket boosters appeared to have switched off prematurely. "Estimates are that Schiaparelli dropped from a height of between two and four kilometres, therefore impacting at a considerable speed, greater than 300 kilometres (186 miles) per hour," it said in a statement. "It is also possible that the lander exploded on impact as its thruster propellant tanks were likely still full." The agency insisted the problems encountered by Schiaparelli were part of the trial-run and would inform the rover design. Its mothership Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) had entered Mars' orbit as planned. The pair comprised phase one of a project dubbed ExoMars through which Europe and Russia seek to join the United States in operating a successful rover on Mars. It agency said it would also seek additional funding from European governments for ExMars, due to be launched in 2020. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Europe's Mars probe crashes seconds before landing: ESA

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