• • Introduction
Mars, a rocky, frozen, geologically dead and dry planet in our Solar system, but has polar
ice caps and atmosphere, seasonal patterns, canyons, volcanoes and valleys.(nasa journey
to mars) Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and in possible habitable position similar
to Earth. Mars is the most intriguing and most observed object in space after the Moon
for centuries, and a reason is very simple; Mars is visible from Earth in nighttime.
Observation from the Earth even with the most powerful telescope can not provide any
information that could be scientifically analyzed or proved. Technological progress,
knowledge and advances in sciences, new instruments and innovative equipment are
providing a great contribution …show more content…
The Mariner series collected first images of Mars and analyze Martian
surface and atmosphere, discovering craters, river bands, canyons, massive volcanoes
mapping Mars surface and sending the first images of the two Martian moons: Phobos
and Demios. Also Mariner 9 provided evidence of wind and water erosion and
deposition, clouds, fog and dust in atmosphere.
The first spacecrafts that successfully landed and operated on the surface of Mars were
spacecrafts from Viking program in 1976 , consisted of two landers and two orbiters,
with a mission to reach the Martian surface and search for evidence of life. The
impressive number of high- resolution images of Mars surface presented new valuable
information about nature and history of Mars. Viking 1 didn’t detect any tectonic and
volcanic activity. The first soil samples were biologically analyzed on board and couldn’t
find any evidence of life. Millions of meteorological related measurements were recorded
and the study of atmosphere structure and composition found a thin, dry carbon dioxide
atmosphere and all elements needed for life on Earth carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, …show more content…
The Mars missions from orbiters Mars Odyssey in 2001, Mars Express in 2003, Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2006, Mars Exploration Rover mission in 2003 and The
Phoenix Mars Lander mission in 2007, radically changed direction in Mars exploration
program setting new scientific goals under the new “Follow the Water” Mars exploration
strategy. The common scientific goals of these orbiter missions are focused on
observations the chemical elements and minerals on the Mars surface the contributing
factors in understanding the planet’s climate and geologic evolution, search for water and
possibly evidence of life. Mars Odyssey detected large amounts of hydrogen in the form
of water ice near the surface, measured the radiation level in low Mars orbit indicating
that is twice that is in low Earth orbit and provided extraordinary surface maps that
assisted in selection of landing site for the Mars Exploration Rover and The Phoenix
Lander missions. Mars Express, the first European spacecraft, equipped with the radar
instrument detecting near the surface water ice deposit, studied in detail the density of
Mars, a rocky, frozen, geologically dead and dry planet in our Solar system, but has polar
ice caps and atmosphere, seasonal patterns, canyons, volcanoes and valleys.(nasa journey
to mars) Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and in possible habitable position similar
to Earth. Mars is the most intriguing and most observed object in space after the Moon
for centuries, and a reason is very simple; Mars is visible from Earth in nighttime.
Observation from the Earth even with the most powerful telescope can not provide any
information that could be scientifically analyzed or proved. Technological progress,
knowledge and advances in sciences, new instruments and innovative equipment are
providing a great contribution …show more content…
The Mariner series collected first images of Mars and analyze Martian
surface and atmosphere, discovering craters, river bands, canyons, massive volcanoes
mapping Mars surface and sending the first images of the two Martian moons: Phobos
and Demios. Also Mariner 9 provided evidence of wind and water erosion and
deposition, clouds, fog and dust in atmosphere.
The first spacecrafts that successfully landed and operated on the surface of Mars were
spacecrafts from Viking program in 1976 , consisted of two landers and two orbiters,
with a mission to reach the Martian surface and search for evidence of life. The
impressive number of high- resolution images of Mars surface presented new valuable
information about nature and history of Mars. Viking 1 didn’t detect any tectonic and
volcanic activity. The first soil samples were biologically analyzed on board and couldn’t
find any evidence of life. Millions of meteorological related measurements were recorded
and the study of atmosphere structure and composition found a thin, dry carbon dioxide
atmosphere and all elements needed for life on Earth carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, …show more content…
The Mars missions from orbiters Mars Odyssey in 2001, Mars Express in 2003, Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2006, Mars Exploration Rover mission in 2003 and The
Phoenix Mars Lander mission in 2007, radically changed direction in Mars exploration
program setting new scientific goals under the new “Follow the Water” Mars exploration
strategy. The common scientific goals of these orbiter missions are focused on
observations the chemical elements and minerals on the Mars surface the contributing
factors in understanding the planet’s climate and geologic evolution, search for water and
possibly evidence of life. Mars Odyssey detected large amounts of hydrogen in the form
of water ice near the surface, measured the radiation level in low Mars orbit indicating
that is twice that is in low Earth orbit and provided extraordinary surface maps that
assisted in selection of landing site for the Mars Exploration Rover and The Phoenix
Lander missions. Mars Express, the first European spacecraft, equipped with the radar
instrument detecting near the surface water ice deposit, studied in detail the density of