Nasa’s Perseverance. NASA/JPL-Caltech, CC BY-SA Thomas Cheney, The Open University There are two planned Mars landings in 2021. First, Nasa’s Perseverance rover is due to land on the planet later this month. Then China’s Tianwen rover will follow in May. Both missions intend to search the planet for signs of life. But how do we make sure when our landers …
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How Mars became the prize for the new space race – and why China is hellbent on winning it
All eyes on Mars. Kevin Gill/Flickr Steffi Paladini, Birmingham City University Looking at its achievements over the past decade, nobody would doubt China is aiming to win the new space race. Not only has it been the only country to land on the Moon in about 40 years, and the first to soft land on its far side, it has …
Read More »Mars colony: how to make breathable air and fuel from brine – new research
Artist’s concept of astronauts and human habitats on Mars. NASA David Rothery, The Open University NASA is planning to land a crew on the Moon by 2024, and then onward to Mars, possibly in the 2030s. One day, we will have permanently crewed bases on both worlds. Unlike the initial short-stay visits, long-term bases will have to be self sufficient …
Read More »Mars: mounting evidence for subglacial lakes, but could they really host life?
There seems to be a network of underground bodies of liquid water at Mars’ south pole. NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems David Rothery, The Open University Venus may harbour life some 50km above its surface, we learned a couple of weeks ago. Now a new paper, published in Nature Astronomy, reveals that the best place for life on Mars might be …
Read More »ثلاث رحلاتٍ جريئة تنطلق نحو الكوكب الأحمر
الولايات المتحدة، والصين، والإمارات العربية المتحدة يطلقون رحلات استكشافية رائدة إلى كوكب المريخ، المعروف بخطورته على البعثات الفضائية. ألكساندرا ويتزي، وسمريتي مالاباتي، وإليزابيث جيبني Nature (2020) doi:10.1038/d41586-020-01861-0 English article المركبة الجوالة الأمريكية “بيرسيفيرانس” سوف تهبط في “فوّهة جيزيرو” على كوكب المريخ (محددة بدائرة صفراء). Emily Lakdawalla/ISRO/ISSDC شهد العالم خلال شهر يوليو الماضي انطلاق ثلاث مركبات فضائية صاروخية صوبَ المريخ. إذ …
Read More »UAE Mars mission: extraordinary feat shows how space exploration can benefit small nations
Rocket carrying the Hope probe. MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES HAND/EPA Ine Steenmans, UCL and Neil Morisetti, UCL The United Arab Emirates (UAE) successfully launched its Mars mission dubbed “Al Amal”, or “Hope”, from the Tanegashima Space Centre in southern Japan on July 20. This is the first space mission by the UAE, and the first Arab mission to Mars – making …
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