Mars | SpaceRef - Mars Today

Mars TOP STORY

Opportunity Rover Sets Off-World Driving Record

Opportunity's Path

NASA's Opportunity Mars rover, which landed on the Red Planet in 2004, now holds the off-Earth roving distance record after accruing 25 miles (40 kilometers) of driving. The previous record was held by the Soviet Union's Lunokhod 2 rover.

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Mars' Icy North Pole Cap

Mars's Icy North Pole Cap

At Mars' North Pole is a dome of icy layers ranging up to 2 kilometers thick, roughly analogous to the Earth's ice caps in Greenland or Antarctica.

Curiosity Rover Camera Captures Laser- Induced Spark

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on its arm to catch the first images of sparks produced by the rover's laser being shot at a rock on Mars.

Curiosity Rover Finds Iron Meteorite on Mars

This rock encountered by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is an iron meteorite called "Lebanon," similar in shape and luster to iron meteorites found on Mars by the previous generation of rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Lebanon is about 2 yards or 2 meters wide (left to right, from this angle). The smaller piece in the foreground is called "Lebanon B."

A New Geologic Map of Mars

Beginning in the late 1960s with the Mariner 4, 6, and 7 fly-bys, spacecraft began imaging Mars from closer perspectives.

NASA Discovers Further Evidence of Dry Ice Gullies on Mars

Repeated high-resolution observations made by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) indicate the gullies on Mars' surface are primarily formed by the seasonal freezing of carbon dioxide, not liquid water.

Airbus Defence and Space Completes Production of Heat Shields for 2016 ExoMars Mission

Airbus Defence and Space, the world's second largest space company, has just completed the production of the two heat shields for the first European ExoMars mission in 2016.

Martian Salts Must Touch Ice to Make Liquid Water, Study Shows

In chambers that mimic Mars' conditions, University of Michigan researchers have shown how small amounts of liquid water could form on the planet despite its below-freezing temperatures.

Opportunity Visits Aluminum-Bearing Site on Mars

With its solar panels their cleanest in years, NASA's decade-old Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is inspecting a section of crater-rim ridgeline chosen as a priority target due to evidence of a water-related mineral.

Curiosity Self-Portrait at 'Windjana' Drilling Site

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used the camera at the end of its arm in April and May 2014 to take dozens of component images combined into this self-portrait where the rover drilled into a sandstone target called "Windjana."

MSL Rover Report: Curiosity Completes Its First Martian Year

On June 24, 2014, NASA's Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory) rover completes her first Martian year (687 Earth days). Hear team members describe how the mission accomplished its main goal to find a past habitable environment on the Red Planet and the ongoing science studies.

Swift Satellite Tallies Water Production of Mars-Bound Comet

In late May, NASA's Swift satellite imaged comet Siding Spring, which will brush astonishingly close to Mars later this year. These optical and ultraviolet observations are the first to reveal how rapidly the comet is producing water and allow astronomers to better estimate its size.

Giant Landform on Mars

Sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms, are classified by the wavelength--or length--between crests.

Mars Weather Camera Helps Find New Crater

Researchers have discovered on the Red Planet the largest fresh meteor-impact crater ever firmly documented with before-and-after images. The images were captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

Opportunity's View From the Ridgeline of Endeavour Crater

The rim surrounding Endeavour Crater on Mars recedes southward, then sweeps around to the east in a vista obtained by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.

Rabe Crater, Mars

Rabe Crater is a 108 km-wide impact crater with an intricately shaped dune field. The dune material likely comprises locally eroded sediments that have been shaped by prevailing winds.

MAVEN Solar Wind Ion Analyzer Will Look at Mars Atmosphere Loss

This past November, NASA launched the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission in the hope of understanding how and why the planet has been losing its atmosphere over billions of years.

Curiosity Drills Sandstone Slab on Mars

Portions of rock powder collected by the hammering drill on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from a slab of Martian sandstone will be delivered to the rover's internal instruments.

Opportunity Rover Sets Off-World Driving Record View

Mars' Icy North Pole Cap View

Curiosity Rover Camera Captures Laser- Induced Spark View

Curiosity Rover Finds Iron Meteorite on Mars View

A New Geologic Map of Mars View

NASA Discovers Further Evidence of Dry Ice Gullies on Mars View

Airbus Defence and Space Completes Production of Heat Shields for 2016 ExoMars Mission View

Martian Salts Must Touch Ice to Make Liquid Water, Study Shows View

Opportunity Visits Aluminum-Bearing Site on Mars View

Curiosity Self-Portrait at 'Windjana' Drilling Site View

MSL Rover Report: Curiosity Completes Its First Martian Year View

Swift Satellite Tallies Water Production of Mars-Bound Comet View

Giant Landform on Mars View

Mars Weather Camera Helps Find New Crater View

Opportunity's View From the Ridgeline of Endeavour Crater View

Rabe Crater, Mars View

MAVEN Solar Wind Ion Analyzer Will Look at Mars Atmosphere Loss View

Curiosity Drills Sandstone Slab on Mars View

Curiosity Rover Camera Captures Laser- Induced Spark

A New Geologic Map of Mars

Martian Salts Must Touch Ice to Make Liquid Water, Study Shows

MSL Rover Report: Curiosity Completes Its First Martian Year

Mars Weather Camera Helps Find New Crater

NASA Hosts Exploration Forum to Showcase Human Path to Mars

Video: NASA's Path to Mars

NASA Administrator Discusses Getting Humans to Mars

ScienceCast: The Opposition of Mars

NASA Mars Curiosity Rover Report 14 February 2014

Opportunity Rover Sets Off-World Driving Record

Mars' Icy North Pole Cap

Curiosity Rover Camera Captures Laser- Induced Spark

Curiosity Rover Finds Iron Meteorite on Mars

A New Geologic Map of Mars

NASA Discovers Further Evidence of Dry Ice Gullies on Mars

Airbus Defence and Space Completes Production of Heat Shields for 2016 ExoMars Mission

Martian Salts Must Touch Ice to Make Liquid Water, Study Shows

Opportunity Visits Aluminum-Bearing Site on Mars

Curiosity Self-Portrait at 'Windjana' Drilling Site

MSL Rover Report: Curiosity Completes Its First Martian Year

Swift Satellite Tallies Water Production of Mars-Bound Comet

Giant Landform on Mars

Mars Weather Camera Helps Find New Crater

Opportunity's View From the Ridgeline of Endeavour Crater

Rabe Crater, Mars

MAVEN Solar Wind Ion Analyzer Will Look at Mars Atmosphere Loss

Curiosity Drills Sandstone Slab on Mars