The Search For Life On Mars

Today NASA confirmed that it has show of liquid H2O flowing on Mars. The novel show consists of hydrated salts discovered on downhill streaks on the side of Hale Crater. It is believed that the hydrated salts would lower the freezing indicate of liquid brine together with that the streaks on the crater are thus show of the shallow subsurface menstruation of briny water.

Entirely past times coincidence the European Space Agency has collaborated amongst CartoDB to release a novel map of Mars. This novel storey map shows the 4 possible landing sites for the ExoMars 2018 Mission. ESA's ExoMars programme volition province a rover on the surface of Mars to search for signs of past times together with acquaint life.

Where on Mars? is a superbly crafted storey map which explains the diverse criteria beingness used to alternative the perfect landing site for the rover. The map includes a let out of dissimilar map views of the cherry-red planet. Using the forrad together with dorsum buttons on the map yous tin plough over the sack progress through the dissimilar map layers to larn to a greater extent than close how the in conclusion landing site volition last chosen.


An altimetry map layer provides a oestrus map stance of tiptop on Mars. Because the lander requires a parachute to province on Mars the landing site must last lower than -2km to plough over the parachute plenty fourth dimension to irksome the lander down. If yous mouse-over the tiptop map a window volition opened upwards to country yous when yous are over an expanse every bit good elevated to last a potential landing site.

Because the ExoMars Rover is solar powered the landing site must also last inside a certainly band of latitude straddling the equator. As yous progress through the storey map this band of latitude is highlighted on the map. Again if yous mouse-over the map an data window volition opened upwards to exhibit yous when yous are exterior this latitude band.

As yous progress yous tin plough over the sack larn to a greater extent than close the geological constraints for the perfect landing site, the landing eclipse (the probability of landing inside a given distance of the target site) together with some of the of import locations around the potential landing sites.