The Exploration of Mars

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For decades, humans have wanted to see more of the planet we call Mars, the red planet. There have been many successful attempts to get a glimpse of the interesting planet, and scientists are still working on a better solution to get there. The first rover to explore Mars was "Mariner 4", which arrived on November 28, 1964. It was a spacecraft designated to orbit the planet of Mars, but not to land. It lasted for about 8 months, and was not able to survive much longer than that due to the conditions on and around Mars. Rovers before have captured images and samples, but this may not be enough to give us the full image of what is really happening on the diverse planet. What is the planet of Mars really like? Is it possible for us to find out using simple technology?

Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, and has received many names in history due to its characteristics and features. Mars was known by its red color due to the iron-rich minerals inside it, developing a red surface as we know today. The ancient Romans and Greeks named the planet after their god of war, due to the red surface, symbolizing blood. However, the Egyptians named it "the red one" and the Chinese named it "the fire star". Mars was first discovered in approximately 400BC by the Babylonians, and they named it "the star of death". Back in that time, Mars was visible by the eye, simply seen as a red "dot" in the sky, and some thought it was possibly a moving star. Mars has a very interesting geology that can tell anyone a lot about the planet. The red planet has a variety of surface features that give much information about its history. Some of the signs of impact on the planet are craters from meteors, the rough surface, impact basins, the polar ice caps th...

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"Why Mars?" Why Mars: Making Mars Relevant. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2013.

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"Syrtis Major (surface Feature, Mars)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013.

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"The "Canals" of Mars: How Giovanni Schiaparelli Saw Tharsis." The "Canals" of Mars: How Giovanni Schiaparelli Saw Tharsis. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.

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"Percival Lowell (American Astronomer)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.

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Robotic Arm. N.d. Photograph. Wikipedia. Wikimedia. Web. 16 Dec. 2013.

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