Mars Resources: Facts about Life on Mars
Of all the planets in the solar system, Mars is the one most like earth. It has features similar to that of earth: impact craters from asteroids, volcanoes, deserts, valleys, and even polar ice caps. Scientists also saw evidence of what they believed to be irrigation channels capable of carrying water. Based on these discoveries, scientists were convinced that Mars either had living organisms on it or that Mars had once supported life.
To be able to support life, a planet needs three things: large regions of water, a reliable energy source, and a favorable atmosphere and climate. Large areas of water are important because every living thing from the smallest plant to the largest animal requires water to live. A planet needs a reliable energy source that living organisms can use. The atmosphere of the planet has to support life oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen must all be present for a planet to be considered inhabitable.
The most valuable information in an attempt to determine if there is life on mars has come from the spacecrafts that have been sent on a mission to mars. The US’ first landing occurred during the Mars 3 Mission in 1971 but the craft only relayed 20 seconds of video before failing.
The US’ first fully successful landing came with the Mars Viking Mission. Viking 1 and Viking 2 were launched in 1975 and touched down in 1976. One was there to search for microorganisms and the other to photograph the planet. They took soil samples and ran experiments on them to search for organisms but they didn’t find any. They also gathered atmospheric and weather data and transmitted it back to earth.
Afterwards there were more failures. For instance, contact was lost with the Mars Observer in 1993. The Mars Pathfinder Mission put the Sojourner on the planet in 1997 to prove it could be done cheaply and to raise public interest. However, the mission ended that year. In 2003, the Mars Exploration Rover Mission began. Two rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, were launched and arrived in 2004 to explore Martian geology. They discovered evidence of past liquid water and the mission was extended and is still going on today due to its success.
In August 2007, the Phoenix Mars Mission was started to study Mars’ habitability and history of water. The craft landed in 2008. Its mission was to take soil samples and look for ice. In July, the craft confirmed the presence of water ice. In August 2008, the mission was completed and in November, all contact with the craft was lost.
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