What is Mars made of? We hear from a scientist who will be part of the team analysing ‘marsquake’ seismic data and orbital imagery from the InSight mission to the red planet.
The InSight Lander mission to Mars is preparing for launch in May 2018. But there are seven (or eight) other planets to explore: why have we such a hang up on Mars?
The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket takes off from Cape Kennedy in Florida, USA on 06 February 2018.
Cristobal Herrera/AAP
The launch of Elon Musk’s Falcon Heavy rocket is undoubtedly a spectacular feat of engineering - but the release of a sports car into orbit also says something about our values as human beings.
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) used in medical devices and for growing plants, like potatoes seen here, are used by NASA to grow plants in space. The U.S. space agency plans to grow food on future spacecraft and on other planets as a food supplement for astronauts.
NASA
LED lights can actually improve upon the sun and help grow plants in space. A Canadian team of researchers is helping to refine and perfect LED technology.
Musk’s audacious plan to blast people to Mars by 2024 glosses over some important social and political challenges that SpaceX will need to successfully navigate to get off the ground.
When will we see a woman or a man walk on Mars?
from www.shutterstock.com
Sending humans to Mars is a 5-10 year project goal for several global operators right now. It’s expensive - but Elon Musk unveiled his new commercial plan today.
The Viking landers in the 1970s were the last to look directly for life on Mars.
NASA/JPL
Planetary protection protocols try to make sure we don’t seed places like Mars with life from our planet. An astrobiologist argues they’re misguided – especially with human astronauts on the horizon.
Anastasiya (left) and myself working on the Haughton crater rim.
Mars Society
Will humans ever live on Mars? Whoever it is to get there first will benefit from the experiences of those who stayed in simulated Martian missions here on Earth.
There is water on Mars - but it’s buried, and frozen.
from www.shutterstock.com
Space exploration is exciting - but there are barriers for humans hoping to visit and even stay on planets. Buried ice on Mars could be a water source for interplanetary visits of the future.
What Mars could have looked like during an ice age 400,000 years ago.
NASA/JPL