Astrobiology Magazine

ESA Mars

Mars Express spots possible sites for life formation. Credit: ESA

Hydrated minerals as mapped by Mars Express´ OMEGA Credit: ESA

Hydrated minerals in Marwth Vallis on Mars Credit: ESA

Black and white nadir view of the Nanedi Valles valley on the left and 3D anaglyph view of the Nanedi Valles valley on the right Credit: ESA
Nanedi Valles valley system on MarsCredit: ESA

Map showing Nanedi Valles in context Credit: ESA

Alex Ellery is the head of the Robotics Research group at the Surrey Space Centre. He is developing technology for ESA’s ExoMars rover.

Cydonia region, colour image. Credit: ESA
‘Face on Mars’ illusion as seen by Viking 1. Credit: ESA

‘Face on Mars’ in Cydonia region, perspective. Credit: ESA

‘Face on Mars’ in Cydonia region, perspective. Credit: ESA

Naturally ‘skull-shaped’ formation in Cydonia region. Credit: ESA
ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft launched in June of 2003 and has since made manyimportant observations from orbit around Mars. Credit:ESA

Data from Mars Express is being used to produce topographic maps of Mars. The image above is at a scale of 1:200 000. Credit: ESA

The smallest scale topographic maps being produced are at 1:50 000, where the contour lines are just 50 meters apart. Credit: ESA

Artist’s impression of the ExoMars orbiter with descent module and the rover.
A partial view of the Martian south polar ice cap, taken on 11 February 2004 during orbit 103 by the High Resolution Stereo Camera on Mars Express, from an altitude of 269 kilometres. The south pole is where the OMEGA instrument made its significant discovery, with the steep slopes known as –scarps´ made almost entirely of water ice, falling away from the polar cap to the surrounding plains, and the permafrost fields that stretch for tens of kilometres away from the scarps. Credits: ESA/DLR/FU

Artist´ impression of water under the martian surface. If underground aquifers like that really do exist, Mars Express has a good chance of finding them. The implications for human exploration and eventual colonisation of the red planet would be far-reaching. Credits: Illustration by Medialab, ESA 2001
$(A) MARSIS data showing typical features of the SPLD. (B) MOLA topography along the ground track. The lower echo trace (arrows) is interpreted as the SPLD basal interface with the substrate. The basal reflector becomes indistinct right of center. The central area shows multiple continuous bands internal to the SPLD, where the estimated SPLD thickness is 1.6 km. (C) MARSIS data showing a bright basal reflector (arrow). (D) MOLA topography along the ground track. The reflector extends from the margin of the SPLD (left of center) to below a 3.5 km thick section of the SPLD. The basal reflector abruptly disappears for unknown reasons. (E) MOLA surface elevations (black line) and MARSIS measured basal elevations (blue symbols), assuming a refractive index of ice. The basal reflector is at a fairly constant elevation between 1000 and 1500 m. The apparent curvature of the reflector in (C) is an artifact of the time representation of the data. Vertical dimension in (A) and (C) is round trip travel time. Credits: NASA/JPL/ASI/ESA/Univ. of Rome/MOLA Science Team$
(A) MARSIS data showing typical features of the SPLD. (B) MOLA topography along the ground track. The lower echo trace (arrows) is interpreted as the SPLD basal interface with the substrate. The basal reflector becomes indistinct right of center. The central area shows multiple continuous bands internal to the SPLD, where the estimated SPLD thickness is 1.6 km. (C) MARSIS data showing a bright basal reflector (arrow). (D) MOLA topography along the ground track. The reflector extends from the margin of the SPLD (left of center) to below a 3.5 km thick section of the SPLD. The basal reflector abruptly disappears for unknown reasons. (E) MOLA surface elevations (black line) and MARSIS measured basal elevations (blue symbols), assuming a refractive index of ice. The basal reflector is at a fairly constant elevation between 1000 and 1500 m. The apparent curvature of the reflector in (C) is an artifact of the time representation of the data. Vertical dimension in (A) and (C) is round trip travel time. Credits: NASA/JPL/ASI/ESA/Univ. of Rome/MOLA Science Team

Topography of the south polar region of Mars from MGS MOLA data, with locations of MARSIS measurements of the SPLD thickness shown as open circles. SPLD unit as mapped by (15) is outlined in black. Red lines indicate ground tracks of orbits. Apparent gaps in coverage are due to the lack of a discernible basal interface, and not to gaps in observations. No MARSIS data are available poleward of 87Â° S (dark circle in upper center).
Topography at the SPLD basal interface, based on MARSIS measurements of SPLD thickness. A indicates a depression below a distal SPLD lobe. B indicates relative highs within the remnant Prometheus basin (basin rim indicated with arrows). C indicates depressions in near-polar region.Credits: NASA/JPL/ASI/ESA/Univ. of Rome/MOLA Science Team/USGS

Map of the SPLD thickness, based on MARSIS measurements and MOLA surface topography. An anomalous thick section appears in lower right. The thickest areas occur beneath the highest elevations of the SPLD (red areas near top), and in association with the near-polar depressions.Credits: NASA/JPL/ASI/ESA/Univ. of Rome/MOLA Science Team/USGS

The upper image of this composite is a –radargram´ from the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) on board ESA´ Mars Express. It shows data from the subsurface of Mars in the water-ice-rich layered deposits that surround the south pole of the planet. The lower image shows the position of the ground track of the spacecraft (indicated by a white line) on a topographic map of the area based on data from the MOLA laser altimeter on board NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor. The images are 1250 kilometers wide. Credits: NASA/JPL/ASI/ESA/Univ. of Rome/MOLA Science Team

The upper image of this composite is a –radargram´ from MARSIS on ESA´ Mars Express. It shows data from the subsurface of Mars in the ice-rich layered deposits that surround the south pole. The lower image shows the position of ground track of the spacecraft (indicated by a white line) on a topographic map of the area based on data from the MOLA laser altimeter on board NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor. The images are 1580 kilometers wide.The total elevation difference shown in the topographic map is about 3 kilometres between the lowest surface (dark blue) and the highest (yellow). Credits: NASA/JPL/ASI/ESA/Univ. of Rome/MOLA Science Team
Mars Express has characterized the types of ice deposits present in the South polarcap of Mars.Credit: ESA – DLR – FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

These images provide a comparison between the water-ice accumulation rates in thepresent day and 21,500 years ago. Present-day map shows a net accumulation ofwater-ice only at the South Pole itself, where the existence of a CO2 cold-trapforces a local and permanent deposition of water-ice. In the inversed situation(21,500 years ago), the CO2 cold trap has been removed and the pattern ofaccumulation is only controlled by the precipitation/sublimation of water vapor onan annual average. Credit: OMEGA team – F.Montmessin – Service d’AÃ©ronomie du CNRS – IPSL

A scenario for the recent evolution of water ice at the South Pole of Mars. Credits: OMEGA team – F.Montmessin – Service d’AÃ©ronomie du CNRS – IPSL

ESA’s Mars Express detected a carbon-dioxide-ice cloud on Mars at an altitude of 80km. The four images above were taken in four different wavelengths. The cloud itselfcan be seen, along with its shadow located 100 km southwest. Credits: ESA/OMEGA team
Mars Express image of Daedalia Planum.Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

This graph illustrates volcanic episodes in martian history, as inferred by G.Neukum et al. using pictures from the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board MarsExpress.Credits: Neukum and HRSC Team, 2008, chronology: Neukum & Hartmann, 2001

PanCamExoMars

Mars Express artist impression
Mars Express radar

Mars glow

Oxygen emissions at Mars

Tractus Catena
Wider Tractus Catena

Danielson and Kalocsa crater

Danielson and Kalocsa context

Hydrated minerals in Mars craters
Tyrrhena Terra region on Mars

Melas Dorsa in context

Melas Dorsa in full colour

Melas Dorsa impact crater perspective view
MSR mission

ESA Aurora Programme

Hadley Crater view

Hadley Crater in broader context.
Colour-coded plan view of Hadley Crater

ExoMars PanCam

Sverrefjell lava breccia

Reull Vallis outflow channel
Natural-color view of Reull Vallis

Osuga valles. Copyright ESA/DLR/FU Berlin

Osuga Valles in context. Copyright NASA MGS MOLA Science Team

Osuga Valles topography. ESA/DLR/FU Berlin.
Perspective view of Osuga Valles. Copyright ESA/DLR/FU Berlin

Osuga Valles in 3D. Copyright ESA/DLR/FU Berlin