A Future Mars Environment for Science and Exploration

Abstract: Today, Mars is arid and cold with a very thin atmosphere that has significant frozen and underground water resources. The thin atmosphere prevents liquid water from residing permanently on its surface and makes it difficult to land missions since it is not thick enough to completely facilitate a soft landing. In its past, under the influence of a significant greenhouse effect, Mars must have had a significant water ocean covering perhaps 30% of the northern hemisphere. Mars lost its protectiv…