Humans yet to set foot on Mars, but the red planet is already 'littered' with 7000 kg of our trash
Space debris
Mars is a far-away dream. That is not to say that humans haven't reached the planet: we have, albeit, by proxy, as our rovers have been on the red soil. However, no man has ever stepped foot on Mars's surface. Yet, as per a new estimate, our race has already littered the red planet with more than 15,000 pounds or 7,000 kilogrammesof trash.
There is 15,694 pounds (approximately 7118.6 kilogrammes) of human debris on the red planet, estimates Cagri Kilic, a postdoctoral research fellow in robotics at West Virginia University. Heanalysed the mass of all Mars rovers and orbiters before deducting the weight of those that are still in use to arrive at this estimate.
Watch |Expanding problem of space debris: What is space junk? Why is it a problem?
As per Daily Mail, the debris includes abandoned tools, dormant rockets, and spacecraft that have crashed onto the planet, including the Soviet Union's Mars orbiter 2 which made a crash landing in 1971.
)
Wipro's margins fall to 15-quarter low as AI investment eats into profit
)
'FIR not withdrawn' against Noida teen who 'abused' PM Modi despite apology, claims CJP
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 bowlers in latest ICC Test rankings 2026 - check who sits at the top
)
Trump’s 'forced labour' tariff faces court challenge as 25 states sue US admin: What it means for India
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 bowlers in latest ICC ODI rankings 2026 - check who sits at the top
)
PM Modi expected to visit Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan as India firms up Central Asia ties
)
'I was almost trafficked in Paris,' says Australian woman, shares terrifying ordeal - 'I am on the black market'
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 bowlers in latest ICC T20I rankings 2026 - check who sits at the top
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why Russian fighter pilots wear blue flight suits compared to US pilots
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 batters in latest ICC Test rankings 2026 - check who sits at the top
)
'He is courageous leader': DK Shivakumar after TN CM Vijay postpone his Cauvery-related Karnataka visit
)
Pakistan minister admits ‘system has collapsed’, Munir pushes for more provinces | Gravitas
)
Have 7,000 Karnataka students tested positive for HIV? Here's the truth
)
Multiple WhatsApp accounts, including in India, are under review for 24 hours. Here’s why
)
Why did India turn down the US offer for F-35 fighter jets? EXPLAINED
)
Bombay High Court canteens inspected after judges question Maharashtra FDA's 'selective' crackdown
)
Tamil Nadu leader Udhayanidhi Stalin draws severe backlash over derogatory remark against Trisha
)
DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin detained over 'double-meaning' Trisha remark in Vijay's Tamil Nadu
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why Russian jets use heavier steel compared to US jets
)
Trump, Putin kissing in Amsterdam? Pride parade’s ‘couple’ goes viral | WATCH
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
7 longest flights in the world - Singapore, Qantas, Qatar and others
)
What’s happening in Nepal? How did a local clash turn into communal violence? WION Decodes
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Can an S-400 detect a bird?
)
US signs deal to boost production of Patriot, THAAD missile interceptor systems
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why are iPhones so expensive compared to Android phones?
)
Influencer killed on livestream: Mexican cartel boss' son asked dad to kill woman who broke up with him
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How often does an S-400 need maintenance?
)
22 children dead, 35 infected: India's Gujarat faces Chandipura virus outbreak — Experts explain symptoms
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
'Fifth-generation fighters': Can the S-400 shoot down an F-35?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why Russian tanks are much lighter compared to US tanks
)
US move on Venezuela oil bond could unlock gains for India’s energy companies
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New OTT releases this week (August 3-9, 2026): Main Vaapas Aaunga, Uyir, Operation Safed Sagar- 6 titles coming on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
WI vs PAK, 2nd Test: Shafique and skipper Babar lead fightback with unbroken 168-run stand on Day 2
)
India avoids higher US tariff, secures lower 10% rate. Here's how
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
Scientists fear that not only is our race polluting yet another planet, even as we struggle to save ours, but that this trash could contaminate the samples being collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover and endanger the missions worth millions of dollarsto search for signs of life on mars.
However, the report points out that much of the discarded parts had to be abandoned in order to preserve ships as they soar through the Red Planet's harsh atmosphere. An example of this is NASA's Perseverance, which weathered seven minutes of hell when it landed in February 2021, and also resulted in the creation of an unavoidable amount of trash.
Nine dormant spacecraft, including the Mars 3 and Mars 6 landers, the Viking 1 and Viking 2 landers, the Sojourner rover, the Schiaparelli lander of the European Space Agency, the Phoenix lander, the Spirit rover, and the Opportunity rover, are currently stranded on Mars.
Kilic claims that the majority of the robots are still in working order and that space agencies consider them as historical artefacts rather than scrap metal.
(With inputs from agencies)
WATCH WION LIVE HERE
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
