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Artist's concept of future humans on Mars.

Artist's concept of future humans on Mars.

August 24, 2004

Credit

NASA/JPL-Caltech

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West of Valles Marineris lies a checkerboard named Noctis Labyrinthus, which formed when the Martian crust stretched and fractured.
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West of Valles Marineris lies a checkerboard named Noctis Labyrinthus, which formed when the Martian crust stretched and fractured.
Mars Odyssey All Stars: Noctis Vista
A large sandsheet with surface dune forms is shown in today's image of Aonia Terra.
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A large sandsheet with surface dune forms is shown in today's image of Aonia Terra.
Dunes in Aonia Terra
This lava channel is part of the Elysium Mons flows.
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This lava channel is part of the Elysium Mons flows.
Lava Channel
Download a PDF of the Mars as Art Booklet.
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Mars as Art
Mars as Art (2013)
Phobos and Deimos, the moons of Mars, are seen in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter. The distance to Deimos from Odyssey during the observation was about 12,222 miles (19,670 kilomet...
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Mars Odyssey Observes Martian Moons
Mars Odyssey Observes Martian Moons
Large fractures have formed 'steps' in this region of Tempe Terra.
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Large fractures have formed 'steps' in this region of Tempe Terra.
Tempe Terra
This THEMIS visible image shows a close-up view of the ridged plains in Hesperia Planum. This region is the classic locality for martian surfaces that formed in the "middle ages" of martian history.
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This THEMIS visible image shows a close-up view of the ridged plains in Hesperia Planum. This region is the classic locality for martian surfaces that formed in the "middle ages" of martian history. The absolute age of these surfaces is not well known. However, using the abundance of impact craters, it is possible to determine that the Hesperian plains are younger than the ancient cratered terrains that dominate the southern hemisphere, and are older than low-lying plains of the northern hemisphere. In this image it is possible to see that this surface has a large number of 1-3 km diameter craters, indicating that this region is indeed very old and has subjected to a long period of bombardment. A large (80 km diameter) crater occurs just to the north (above) this image. The material that was thrown out onto the surface when the crater was formed ("crater ejecta") can be seen at the top of the THEMIS image. This ejecta material has been heavily eroded and modified since its formation, but there are hints of lobate flow features within the ejecta. Lobate ejecta deposits are thought to indicate that ice was present beneath the surface when the crater was formed, leading to these unusual lobate features. Many of the Hesperian plains are characterized by ridged surfaces. These ridges can be easily seen in the MOLA context image, and several can be seen cutting across the lower portion of the THEMIS image. These "wrinkle" ridges are thought to be the result of compression (squeezing) of the lavas that form these plains.
Hesperia Planum
This image from NASAs Mars Odyssey shows lava flows from Alba Mons, and a tectonic graben called Cyane Fossae.
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This image from NASAs Mars Odyssey shows lava flows from Alba Mons, and a tectonic graben called Cyane Fossae.
Alba Mons
Dr. Phil Varghese, Odyssey Project Manager.
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Dr. Phil Varghese, Odyssey Project Manager.
Dr. Phil Varghese
This animation shows how NASA's Curiosity rover communicates with Earth via two of NASA's Mars orbiters, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and Odyssey, and the European Space Agency's Mars Express....
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Curiosity Communicates with Help From Its 'Friends'
Curiosity Communicates with Help From Its 'Friends'
Colors in this image of the Martian moon Phobos indicate a range of surface temperatures detected by observing the moon on Sept. 29, 2017, with the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) camera o...
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Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Martian Moon Phobos in Thermal Infrared Image
Chasma Boreale is a long, flat-floored valley that cuts deep into Mars' north polar icecap
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Chasma Boreale is a long, flat-floored valley that cuts deep into Mars' north polar icecap
Mars Odyssey All Stars: Chasma Boreale
Dr. Bill Boynton, Principal Investigator for the Gamma Ray Spectrometer suite of instruments Image credit: NASA/JPL
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Dr. Bill Boynton, Principal Investigator for the Gamma Ray Spectrometer suite of instruments
Dr. Bill Boynton
The channels in this VIS image are part of Tyrrhena Fossae on the northern flank of Tyrrhenus Mons.
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The channels in this VIS image are part of Tyrrhena Fossae on the northern flank of Tyrrhenus Mons.
Tyrrhena Fossae
Western flank of Elysium Mons.
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Western flank of Elysium Mons.
Elysium Mons
This THEMIS image of rounded hills and ridges in Arcadia Planitia shows a very intriguing geomorphic feature that may be attributed to the presence of an icy-rock mixture of material. Smooth aprons...
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This THEMIS image of rounded hills and ridges in Arcadia Planitia shows a very intriguing geomorphic feature that may be attributed to the presence of an icy-rock mixture of material. Smooth aprons of material are observed to be preferentially located on the cold, north facing slopes of hills and extend further and beyond the deposits located on other sides. These smooth deposits are in stark contrast to the more rough surfaces that dominate the scene and it has been suggested that they represent a preserved mixture of ice and rock. How exactly this deposit forms still remains a mystery. They may have been "pasted" onto the slopes and preserved on the cold facing sides or they may represent the result of downslope motion of material that is enhanced by the presence of ground ice. In either case, this interesting observation suggests that ground ice may still play an important role in the formation and preservation of martian surface features.
Arcadia Planitia
At the time this video was released, the Odyssey team had successfully completed the third trajectory correction maneuver to adjust the spacecraft's flightpath toward its final aimpoint for entry i...
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Challenges of Getting to Mars: Interplanetary Cruise
Challenges of Getting to Mars: Interplanetary Cruise
This mosaic of daytime infrared images of Gusev Crater, taken by the camera system on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, has been draped over topography data obtained by Mars Global Surveyor.
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This mosaic of daytime infrared images of Gusev Crater, taken by the camera system on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, has been draped over topography data obtained by Mars Global Surveyor.
Gusev Crater
This image shows a 90-mile-wide portion of the giant Valles Marineris canyon system. Landslide debris and gullies in the canyon walls on Mars can be seen at 100 meters (330 feet) per pixel.
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This image shows a 90-mile-wide portion of the giant Valles Marineris canyon system. Landslide debris and gullies in the canyon walls on Mars can be seen at 100 meters (330 feet) per pixel.
Close View of Valles Marineris
Geological faulting has opened cracks in the Cerberus region that slice through flat plains and mesas alike.
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Geological faulting has opened cracks in the Cerberus region that slice through flat plains and mesas alike.
Mars Odyssey All Stars: Cerberus Crack
Artist rendering of commercial Mars satellites providing communications back to Earth.
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Artist rendering of commercial Mars satellites providing communications back to Earth.
Artist's Concept of Mars Satellites
A false-color mosaic focuses on one junction in Noctis Labyrinthus where canyons meet to form a depression 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) deep.
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A false-color mosaic focuses on one junction in Noctis Labyrinthus where canyons meet to form a depression 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) deep.
Mars Odyssey All Stars: Noctis Canyon
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft passes above a portion of the planet that is rotating into the sunlight in this artist's concept illustration. The spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since October ...
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NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft passes above a portion of the planet that is rotating into the sunlight in this artist's concept illustration
Odyssey over Martian Sunrise, 3-D (Artist Concept)
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows ice-rich clouds over the summit of Arsia Mons.
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This is an image of ice-rich clouds in false color, taken by the Odyssey satellite orbiting Mars.
Ice-Rich Clouds - False Color
How do you converse with a robot nearly one hundred million miles away? In this video, Odyssey team members describe communications with the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft using the antennas of the D...
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Challenges of Getting to Mars: Telecommunications
Challenges of Getting to Mars: Telecommunications

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