Mars Research

Understanding Mars

“Understanding whether life existed elsewhere in the Universe beyond Earth is a fundamental question of humankind.

Mars is an excellent place to investigate this question because it is the most similar planet to Earth in the Solar System. Planetary geologists can study rocks, sediments and soils for clues to uncover the history of the surface.

Scientists are interested in the history of water on Mars to understand how life could have survived. Volcanoes, craters from meteoroid impacts, signs of atmospheric or photochemical effects and geophysical processes all carry aspects of Mars’ history. Evidence suggests that Mars was once full of water, warmer and had a thicker atmosphere, offering a potentially habitable environment.” ESA: Why go to Mars?