1. Why explore Mars? To better understand planets in our Solar System and thus how the Solar System formed To better understand planets in our Solar System and thus how the Solar System formed To better understand the likelihood of planets around other stars To better understand the likelihood of planets around other stars To establish in the future another home for humans. To establish in the future another home for humans. Our history tells us we are explorers! Our history tells us we are explorers! To answer the question … To answer the question …

2. Are we alone? In Search of Life …

3. Have we found life? Well, no, not yet … Cydonia Region Viking 1 1976 Global Surveyor April 2001

4. Mariner 4: 1965 Mariner 6 & 7: 1969 Mariner 9: 1971

5. Mars: Two Views

6. Mars: Vital Stats

7. The two Martian moons resemble asteroids Mars has two small, football-shaped satellites that move in orbits close to the surface of the planet They may be captured asteroids or may have formed in orbit around Mars out of solar system debris

8. Mars: Up Close

9. Clouds Above Mars’ Volcanos

10. The Volcano Olympus Mons

11. Viking: 1976

12. Viking 1: First Images

13. Winter Frost @ Viking 2

14. Pathfinder and Sojourner: 1997

15. Pathfinder: 1997

16. Mars Global Surveyor: 1996 - 2006

17. Mars Odyssey: 2001

18. Mars: The Case for Water

19. Gustev Crater from Mars Odyssey: March 2003

20. Spirit and Opportunity: 2004 …

21. All around Spirit

22. Spirit Panorama in Gustev Crater

23. Up Close from Spirit

24. … on Mars

25. Opportunity

26. Mars … here and there

27. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005 -)

28. A Martian Avalanche from MRO February 2008 North Polar Area

29. York U on Mars 2008: NASA Phoenix Mission

30. Phoenix objectives/instruments: Study the history of water by examining water ice beneath the Martian surface (north polar region). Study the history of water by examining water ice beneath the Martian surface (north polar region). Determine if the arctic Martian soil could support life. Determine if the arctic Martian soil could support life. Instruments – MET, Robotic Arm, Surface Stereoscopic Imager (SSI), Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA), Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA). Instruments – MET, Robotic Arm, Surface Stereoscopic Imager (SSI), Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA), Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA).

31. Where is Phoenix?

32. Going down …

33. On the surface at the North Pole

34. At the North Pole …

35. Digging for ice on Mars

36. Instruments on Phoenix

37. Temperatures at the North Pole

38. Snow on Mars using Lidar

39. The Near Future …

40. The More Distant future …

41. Any Questions?