Reviewer on Mars

Overview

Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, is often called the "Red Planet" due to its reddish
appearance, caused by iron oxide (rust) on its surface. Mars has been a focal point of
exploration due to its potential for past or present life and its similarities to Earth.

Basic Characteristics

● Diameter: Approximately 6,779 kilometers (4,212 miles), about half the diameter of
Earth.
● Mass: 6.4171 × 10^23 kg, roughly 11% of Earth's mass.
● Density: 3.93 g/cm³, indicating a core of iron, nickel, and sulfur.
● Surface Gravity: 3.721 m/s², about 38% of Earth's gravity.

Orbital and Rotational Dynamics

● Orbital Period: About 687 Earth days (1.88 Earth years).

● Rotational Period: Approximately 24.6 hours, very similar to Earth's day.
● Axial Tilt: 25.2 degrees, similar to Earth’s, resulting in seasons.
● Distance from Sun: Varies between 206 million kilometers (128 million miles) and 249
million kilometers (155 million miles) due to its elliptical orbit.

Surface and Geology

● Surface Temperature: Ranges from about -125°C (-195°F) during winter at the poles to
about 20°C (68°F) in summer at the equator.
● Surface Features:
○ Volcanoes: Home to the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons.
○ Canyons: Valles Marineris, a system of canyons over 4,000 kilometers (2,500
miles) long and up to 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) deep.
○ Impact Craters: Numerous craters, including Hellas Basin, a giant impact crater.
○ Polar Ice Caps: Composed of water and dry ice (frozen CO2), which grow and
recede with the seasons.

Atmosphere

● Composition: Thin atmosphere primarily composed of carbon dioxide (95.3%), nitrogen

(2.7%), and argon (1.6%).
● Pressure: Surface pressure is about 0.6% of Earth's, similar to the pressure at an
altitude of 30 kilometers (19 miles) above Earth’s surface.
● Weather: Dust storms can engulf the entire planet, and temperatures vary significantly
between day and night.

Water on Mars

● Past Water: Evidence of ancient river valleys, lake beds, and minerals that form in water
suggests that liquid water once flowed on Mars.
 ● Current Water: Water ice is present at the poles and beneath the surface; recent
studies suggest the presence of liquid brines under the surface.

Exploration Missions

● Mariner 4: The first successful flyby mission in 1965, providing the first close-up images
of Mars.
● Viking 1 and 2: NASA missions in the 1970s that provided detailed images and
conducted experiments searching for life.
● Mars Rovers:
○ Sojourner: Part of the Mars Pathfinder mission in 1997.
○ Spirit and Opportunity: Twin rovers that landed in 2004 and greatly exceeded
their expected lifespans.
○ Curiosity: Landed in 2012, still operational, exploring Gale Crater.
○ Perseverance: Landed in 2021, exploring Jezero Crater and searching for signs
of ancient life.
● Orbiters:
○ Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: High-resolution mapping and study of Mars'
climate and geology.
○ MAVEN: Studying the Martian atmosphere and its interaction with solar wind.

Scientific Significance

● Potential for Life: Mars is a primary target in the search for past or present
extraterrestrial life due to evidence of past water and organic molecules.
● Geological History: Studying Mars' surface and geological features helps us
understand the planet's history and climate evolution.
● Human Exploration: Mars is considered the most viable destination for future human
exploration and potential colonization.

Key Questions and Future Research

1. Life on Mars: Did life ever exist on Mars, and if so, what forms did it take?
2. Water History: How much water did Mars have in the past, and where did it all go?
3. Climate Evolution: What caused the drastic climate changes that Mars experienced?
4. Subsurface Exploration: What lies beneath the surface, particularly in terms of water
ice and potential microbial life?

Future Missions

● Mars Sample Return: Joint mission by NASA and ESA planned for the 2030s to bring
samples from Mars back to Earth.
● ExoMars: ESA mission with a rover (Rosalind Franklin) designed to search for signs of
past life, planned for launch in the coming years.
● Human Missions: NASA's Artemis program and SpaceX’s Starship are part of long-
term plans to send humans to Mars.

Mars continues to captivate scientists and the public alike with its potential for past life, its
dramatic geological features, and its possibilities for future human exploration. Ongoing and
future missions promise to unveil more of the Red Planet’s secrets.