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Mars radiation levels

Mars radiation levels are two to three times higher than around Earth.

August 24, 2004

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NASA/JPL/JSC/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows 'streamers' of clouds created by katabatic winds at the north polar cap.
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Polar Winds
Polar Winds
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
Download a PDF of the 2001 Mars Odyssey Launch Press Kit.
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Odyssey launch press kit
2001 Mars Odyssey Launch Press Kit
At 11:02 a.m. EDT on April 7, 2001, crowds watch a Boeing Delta II rocket lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, carrying NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft into space on its sev...
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At 11:02 a.m. EDT on April 7, 2001, crowds watch a Boeing Delta II rocket lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, carrying NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft into space on its seven-month journey to Mars.
Odyssey's Launch to Mars on April 7, 2001
A small impact crater on Mars named Gratteri, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) wide, lies at the center of large dark streaks.
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A small impact crater on Mars named Gratteri, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) wide, lies at the center of large dark streaks.
Mars Impact Crater Gratteri
Newly detailed mapping of local variations in Mars' gravitational pull on orbiters (center), combined with topographical mapping of the planet's mountains and valleys (left), yields the best-yet ma...
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Newly detailed mapping of local variations in Mars' gravitational pull on orbiters (center), combined with topographical mapping of the planet's mountains and valleys (left), yields the best-yet mapping of Mars' crustal thickness (right).
Using Gravity and Topography to Map Mars' Crustal Thickness
This computer-generated view based on multiple orbital observations shows Mars' Gale crater as if seen from an aircraft north of the crater.
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This computer-generated view based on multiple orbital observations shows Mars' Gale crater as if seen from an aircraft north of the crater.
Oblique view of Gale Crater from the North
This image is near the southern edge of a low, broad volcanic feature called Syrtis Major.
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This image is near the southern edge of a low, broad volcanic feature called Syrtis Major. A close look at this image reveals a wrinkly texture that indicates a very rough surface that is associated with the lava flows that cover this region. On a larger scale, there are numerous bright streaks that trail topographic features such as craters. These bright streaks are in the wind shadows of the craters where dust that settles onto the surface is not as easily scoured away. It is important to note that these streaks are only bright in a relative sense to the surrounding image. Syrtis Major is one of the darkest regions on Mars and it is as dark as fresh basalt flows or dunes are on Earth.
Syrtis Major
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
The dunes in this VIS image are located in Aonia Terra.
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The dunes in this VIS image are located in Aonia Terra.
Dunes in Aonia Terra
This image is located near the boundary between Syrtis Major and Isidis Planitia. The top of the image shows rough material that has eroded away from the lower portion of the image, revealing an un...
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This image is located near the boundary between Syrtis Major and Isidis Planitia. The top of the image shows rough material that has eroded away from the lower portion of the image, revealing an underlying surface that has many small craters. It also reveals an ancient flow lobe that is barely discernable, crossing the southern part of the image (this flow lobe is much easier to see as a smooth region in the context image).
Erosion and what it Reveals
Gale Crater, home to NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, shows a new face in this image made using data from the THEMIS camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter.
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Gale Crater, home to NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, shows a new face in this image made using data from the THEMIS camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter.
Gale Crater's Surface Materials
This image of a crater in Acidalia Planitia was acquired March 8, 2003, during northern summer.
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This image of a crater in Acidalia Planitia was acquired March 8, 2003, during northern summer.
Acidalia Planitia Crater
Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith
This map shows unprecedented detail of local variations in Mars' gravitational pull on orbiters. The gravitational mapping has been applied to map variations in the thickness of the planet's crust ...
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This map shows unprecedented detail of local variations in Mars' gravitational pull on orbiters. The gravitational mapping has been applied to map variations in the thickness of the planet's crust and to deduce information about its deeper interior.
Local Variations in the Gravitational Pull of Mars
The floor of this unnamed crater in Aonia Terra has been filled with multiple layers of material.
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The floor of this unnamed crater in Aonia Terra has been filled with multiple layers of material.
Layered Fill
Seasons change even on Mars and NASA's fleet of explorers are helping scientists learn more about the effects on the Red Planet.
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Seasons change even on Mars and NASA's fleet of explorers are helping scientists learn more about the effects on the Red Planet.
Mars Report: How's the Weather on Mars?
The Odyssey spacecraft was launched toward Mars on April 7, 2001 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. In this four-part video series, Odyssey navigation team members explain the daily challenges of steeri...
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Challenges of Getting to Mars: Aerobraking
Challenges of Getting to Mars: Aerobraking
This false color image shows a region with craters of different ages located at the margin of Acidalia Planitia. This image was collected during the Northern Spring season.
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This false color image shows a region with craters of different ages located at the margin of Acidalia Planitia. This image was collected during the Northern Spring season. The THEMIS VIS camera is capable of capturing color images of the Martian surface using five different color filters. In this mode of operation, the spatial resolution and coverage of the image must be reduced to accommodate the additional data volume produced from using multiple filters. To make a color image, three of the five filter images (each in grayscale) are selected. Each is contrast enhanced and then converted to a red, green, or blue intensity image. These three images are then combined to produce a full color, single image. Because the THEMIS color filters don't span the full range of colors seen by the human eye, a color THEMIS image does not represent true color. Also, because each single-filter image is contrast enhanced before inclusion in the three-color image, the apparent color variation of the scene is exaggerated. Nevertheless, the color variation that does appear is representative of some change in color, however subtle, in the actual scene. Note that the long edges of THEMIS color images typically contain color artifacts that do not represent surface variation.
Cratered Acidalia Planitia
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
This artist's animation shows how NASA's Curiosity rover will communicate with Earth via two of NASA's Mars orbiters, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Odyssey. As the rover descends to the surface o...
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Communicating with Curiosity
Communicating with Curiosity
Researchers estimating the amount of carbon held in the ground at the largest known carbonate-containing deposit on Mars utilized data from three different NASA Mars orbiters.
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Researchers estimating the amount of carbon held in the ground at the largest known carbonate-containing deposit on Mars utilized data from five instruments on three different NASA Mars orbiters, including physical properties from THEMIS (left) and mineral information from CRISM (right).
Multiple Instruments Used for Mars Carbon Estimate
A vast dune field lies near the northern polar cap of Mars. Seen here in summer, the dunes have partially buried an impact crater about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) wide.
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A vast dune field lies near the northern polar cap of Mars. Seen here in summer, the dunes have partially buried an impact crater about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) wide.
Mars Odyssey All Stars: Dunes Engulf Crater
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, its backshell and its heatshield are visible within this enhanced-color image of the Phoenix landing site taken on Jan. 6, 2010 by the High Resolution Imaging Science Ex...
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Phoenix Lander Amid Disappearing Spring Ice
Phoenix Lander Amid Disappearing Spring Ice
This view combines information from two instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to map color-coded composition over the shape of the ground in a small portion of the Nili Fossae plains re...
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This view combines information from two instruments on a NASA Mars orbiter to map color-coded composition over the shape of the ground within the Nili Fossae plains region of Mars. Carbonate-rich deposits in this area (coded green) hold some carbon formerly in the atmosphere's carbon dioxide.
Rocks Here Sequester Some of Mars' Early Atmosphere

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