Mars has long piqued the interest of scientists and the general public due to its proximity to Earth and potential as a future home for humankind. Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and is often referred to as the "Red Planet" due to its reddish look in the night sky.
This planet has a thin atmosphere and a surface temperature that varies from -143 degrees Celsius at the poles to 35 degrees Celsius at the equator, making it a harsh environment for life as we know it. Recent research has revealed that this planet was once a more habitable planet, with signs of water and geological activity.
The Red Planet has two tiny moons: Phobos and Deimos. These moons are irregularly shaped and heavily cratered, and they are believed to be captured asteroids that were pulled into Mars' orbit.
Mars has a diameter of 6,779 kilometers or roughly half the area of Earth. After Mercury, it is the solar system's second-smallest planet. Despite its small size, it has some fascinating geological features, such as Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, and Valles Marineris, the longest canyon. The Red Planet has a day-night cycle and a rotation duration of about 24.6 hours.
One year on Mars is much longer, with a revolution time of around 687 Earth days. The presence of polar ice caps on the surface is one of its most intriguing characteristics. These ice caps are composed of frozen water and carbon dioxide, and their size varies based on the season. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere sublimates and causes the ice caps to shrink during the Martian summer, while it freezes and causes the ice caps to grow during the Martian winter.
The Martian surface is also covered in a layer of iron oxide dust, which lends the planet its distinctive red hue. This dust is continuously being blown around by Martian winds, which can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) during dust storms.
The Life Potential
Despite its harsh environment, this planet has been the center of many scientific missions, both past and present. These missions have disclosed a wealth of knowledge about the planet's geology, atmosphere, and potential for life. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in this planet's exploration, with several missions scheduled for the near future.
Mars has a thin atmosphere that is 95.3% carbon dioxide, with smaller quantities of nitrogen (2.7%), argon (1.6%), and trace amounts of oxygen, water vapor, and methane. The atmosphere of the planet is much less thick than that of Earth, with a surface pressure of less than 1% of that of Earth. The planet's climate and possibility for life are both affected by the planet's thin atmosphere.
Mars has a much colder climate than Earth because it lacks a thick atmosphere to trap heat, with typical temps well below freezing. A recent study suggests that Mars once had a thicker atmosphere, which could have sustained liquid water and a more hospitable climate.
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) found evidence of liquid water in the form of dark streaks known as "recurring slope lineae" on the planet's surface in 2015. (RSL). These streaks appear to be produced by the flow of briny water on the surface, and their discovery has fueled speculation that Mars still has subsurface water and could sustain microbial life.
Aside from the finding of liquid water, there are several other possible indicators of past or present life on Mars. For example, NASA's Curiosity rover discovered organic molecules in Martian rocks, which are compounds linked with Earthly life. Its existence suggests that Mars once had the right conditions for life to flourish.
Over the last few decades, there have been countless missions to Mars. The first successful expedition was NASA's Mariner 4, which flew by the planet in 1965 and returned the first close-up images of the Martian surface. Since then, countless missions to Mars have been launched, including orbiters, landers, and rovers.
Mars Exploration
NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers (MER), which landed in 2004, was one of the most successful expeditions to date. These rovers were created to investigate the planet's geology and look for signs of past water on the surface. They stayed on this planet for over a decade, far exceeding their original mission timetable, and made numerous discoveries about the planet's geological past and potential for life.
Despite Mars missions' numerous successes to date, there are still many challenges and possibilities for future exploration. One of the most challenging tasks is landing large payloads on the Martian surface. The thin atmosphere makes it difficult for spacecraft to slow down as they near the surface.
Furthermore, the planet's harsh climate and rugged terrain make it difficult to design spacecraft that can live on the surface for extended periods. Despite these difficulties, there are numerous possibilities for future Mars research. The search for life on Mars is one of the most intriguing prospects. As we've seen, there's evidence that it was once more habitable, and there could still be subsurface water and other conditions that could sustain microbial life.
Mars exploration could lead to the discovery of resources that could be used to sustain future human colonization. It has an abundance of iced water, which could be used to sustain human settlements on the planet. Furthermore, the planet contains valuable minerals and other resources that could be mined and used for space research and development.
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Sumber:
- Baker, V.R. et al. (2015). Mars’ surface and subsurface environments: past, present, and future. Cambridge University Press.
- Carr, M. H. (2007). The surface of Mars. Cambridge University Press.
- Grotzinger, J. P. et al. (2014). A habitable fluvio-lacustrine environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale crater, Mars. Science, 343(6169), 1242777.
- Johnson, J. R. et al. (2016). Geologic mapping of Mars: a review and status report. Journal of Maps, 12(5), 939-954.
- Webster, C. R. et al. (2015). Mars methane detection and variability at Gale crater. Science, 347(6220), 415-417.
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