Mars

Latest about Mars

three orbs: earth, the moon and mars with the text "moon & mars" between them

How to watch the 2025 Humans to the Moon & Mars Summit May 28 and 29 (video)

By Samantha Mathewson published

The 2025 Humans to the Moon & Mars Summit (H2M2) will be held May 28 and 29 in Washington, D.C., and will include panels discussing the future of human space exploration.

Mars
Engineers conduct a thermal vacuum test with JAXA's MMX Mars moon sample-return spacecraft. JAXA posted this image on X on May 15, 2025.

Japan tests its Mars moon sample-return probe ahead of 2026 launch (photo)

By Andrew Jones published

Japan is putting its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft through a series of tests ahead of its launch to Mars next year.

Mars
On the road to Krokodillen: One of the navigation cameras on NASA’s Perseverance captured the rover’s tracks coming from an area called “Witch Hazel Hill,” on May 13, 2025, the 1,503rd Martian day, or sol, of the mission.

Perseverance rover rolls onto 'Crocodile' plateau on Mars to hunt for super-old rocks

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Perseverance rover is exploring a new Mars region called Krokodillen, which is thought to harbor some of the oldest and most intriguing rocks on the Red Planet.

Mars
A view of Mars' surface with lots of dark streaks toward the center, going down vertically offscreen.

Dark streaks on Mars may not come from water after all, scientists say

By Victoria Corless published

Satellite images of the Red Planet suggest scientists were wrong about these strange Martian features.

Mars
The first visible-light image of a green aurora on Mars, left, taken by NASA’s Perseverance rover. A comparison image, right, shows the night sky without the aurora but featuring the Martian moon Deimos.

Perseverance Mars rover becomes 1st spacecraft to spot auroras from the surface of another world

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover made skywatching history in March, becoming the first robot to witness auroras from the surface of another planet.

Mars
On a flat, slightly rocky ground, there is a sample tube laying there. A rover's wheel is seen toward the top right.

Mars Sample Return now! (op-ed)

By Bruce Jakosky, Scott Hubbard published

The White House's 2026 budget request axes NASA's long-held plan to bring Mars samples to Earth for analysis. Here's why that cancellation would be a mistake.

Mars
This infrared image of Mars, captured during a close flyby on March 1, 2025, helped NASA validate key instruments aboard the Europa Clipper probe ahead of its mission to Jupiter's icy ocean moon Europa.

NASA's Europa Clipper probe snaps ghostly thermal portrait of Mars en route to Jupiter

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft captured a thermal image of Mars during a gravity-assist flyby, testing instruments ahead of its mission to explore Jupiter’s ocean moon Europa.

Mars

'Marsquakes' reveal clues about a hidden body of water on Mars

By Victoria Corless published

A new study offers key insights into Mars' water cycle.

Mars
Artist's illustration of SpaceX Starships on Mars.

'Eventually, all life on Earth will be destroyed by the sun': Elon Musk explains his drive to colonize Mars

By Mike Wall published

Elon Musk explained the rather depressing fate of life on Earth to Fox News host Jesse Waters, who had asked him why humanity should go to Mars.

Mars
NASA Curiosity rover on Mars

Life Detection on Mars: Are Red Planet Protocols in Place?

By Leonard David published

Finding evidence for life on Mars has been a decades-long ambition for NASA, which has spent billions of dollars to send machines wheeling over, poking and probing the Red Planet.

Mars