Spacecraft on Mars

From the 1960s onward, humanity has launched multiple spacecraft towards Mars since then. While some were used merely for flyby missions and taking photographs as they passed overhead; others entered orbit or even landed successfully.

Landing on Mars isn’t simple. To accomplish it, a lander uses a heatshield and parachute to slow its descent from 100 miles per hour before performing a propulsive landing.

1. Exploration

Since the 1960s, humans have sent multiple spacecraft to Mars. Flybys provided early reconnaissance before probes entered orbit and eventually landing rovers arrived on its surface.

Scientists have used their creativity and innovation to devise means of searching for fossils, drilling for rock samples and driving on planets with gravity 40 percent lower than our own, while providing us with detailed information quickly enough that it’s useful.

NASA’s Curiosity rover is exploring Gale Crater to see whether Mars ever was habitable, discovering signs of wet environments both past and present. Other Mars missions are studying its current climate as well as any changes over time that could help inform humans if we should send people there.

2. Exploration Missions

Mars exploration is driven by numerous considerations, such as understanding its history, potential to support life and paving the way for human missions. Phobos and Deimos moon exploration also serves as an objective in many missions.

The Mars Exploration Program has provided stunning aerial views of Mars from space, while also conducting experiments on its surface. These work efforts are helping scientists gain a better understanding of life on Mars – such as weightlessness and low gravity effects on our bodies as well as space radiation’s effects on health.

Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity have been exploring Jezero Crater to find evidence of water that once covered its surface. Soon thereafter, Perseverance will join them, investigating rocks and soil for signs of past life.

3. Exploration Rovers

Rovers have become essential tools in modern Mars exploration. These six-wheeled robotic emissaries have provided researchers with invaluable information about both Mars’ geology and history.

Spirit and Opportunity, two golf cart-sized twin rovers on Mars, made two discoveries which helped confirm that liquid water once existed on this Red Planet: fossil evidence for life as well as rock grinding tools used in drilling rocks for mining operations.

Both rovers are powered by solar arrays that generate up to 140 watts in an Martian day (sol). Heaters and multi-layer insulation keep lithium ion batteries warm; all electronics are run by a computer similar to one found on high-end laptops; and spectrometers and cameras hunt for signs of life on Earth’s dusty atmosphere.

4. Exploration Landers

Spirit and Opportunity, along with their respective rovers (Lander) and orbiters have provided unparalleled documentation of Mars’ mineralogical diversity as well as its global chemistry and topography, distribution of water ice deposits, its remanent magnetic field strength, as well as ongoing surface changes possibly linked to water action.

ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter from the European Space Agency provided an unprecedented aerial mapping of dust and water distribution on Mars’ atmosphere; India’s Mangalyaan orbiter conducted intensive studies between 2014-2022; while Perseverance from U.S. Perseverance Rover is currently exploring Jezero Crater for evidence of ancient life – all three missions illustrate the value of human exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Institutional funding continues to play an integral part in human Mars missions while private sector investment could increasingly play a greater part as time goes on.

5. Landing

Reaching Mars may be straightforward, but landing safely on its surface requires careful consideration from space engineers. They spend considerable time devising ways to safely penetrate its atmosphere, apply the brakes, and then lower their payload as they descend towards its surface.

This process includes using inflatable airbags similar to parachute cord, retro rockets, and landing legs capable of stopping at 30 miles an hour or faster. Furthermore, precise navigation must be employed so the craft lands near a sunny spot while avoiding obstacles like craters, mountains or other potential threats.

Stressful moments during entry, descent and landing are just one reason manned missions to Mars remain decades away – though it’s certainly possible – with enough technology available, it just requires skill, hard work and luck!