page_title: Martian surface
hierarchical_section_title: Martian surface
caption_attribution_description: English: Exploration Imagery Series of black and white drawings for an aggressive unmanned exploration of Mars high res (3.3 M) low res (224 K) S87-29632 (March 18, 1987)--- This series of black and white drawings was done as a result of NASA's adoption of its Advisory Council's recommendation for an aggressive unmanned exploration of Mars. The returnable hardware program is planned as a precursor to a manned exploration of Mars in the next century. The Johnson Space Center in Houston and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena both have task teams outlining preliminary scenarios on how Mars sample-return missions could be flown using launch vehicles expected to be available late in the 1990s. If approved and funded, the Mars-bound spacecraft would be launched in 1998 and return with martian soil, rock and atmosphere samples in the year 2001. The current rover technology includes a stereo camera vision system, sensors, a computer brain, controlled manipulators and a drill system for acquiring samples. The proposed vehicle would have a mass of no more than 700 kilograms (1,540 pounds), be six meters long and two meters across.
context_page_description: The study of surface characteristics is a broad category of Mars science that examines the nature of the materials making up the Martian surface. The study evolved from telescopic and remote-sensing techniques developed by astronomers to study planetary surfaces. However, it has increasingly become a subdiscipline of geology as automated spacecraft bring ever-improving resolution and instrument capabilities. By using characteristics such as color, albedo, and thermal inertia and analytical tools such as reflectance spectroscopy and radar, scientists are able to study the chemistry and physical makeup of the Martian surface. The resulting data help scientists understand the planet's mineral composition and the nature of geological processes operating on the surface. Mars’ surface layer represents a tiny fraction of the total volume of the planet, yet plays a significant role in the planet's geologic history. Understanding physical surface properties is also very important in determining safe landing sites for spacecraft.
context_section_description: The study of surface characteristics (or surface properties and processes) is a broad category of Mars science that examines the nature of the materials making up the Martian surface. The study evolved from telescopic and remote-sensing techniques developed by astronomers to study planetary surfaces. However, it has increasingly become a subdiscipline of geology as automated spacecraft bring ever-improving resolution and instrument capabilities. By using characteristics such as color, albedo, and thermal inertia and analytical tools such as reflectance spectroscopy and radar, scientists are able to study the chemistry and physical makeup (e.g., grain sizes, surface roughness, and rock abundances) of the Martian surface. The resulting data help scientists understand the planet's mineral composition and the nature of geological processes operating on the surface. Mars’ surface layer represents a tiny fraction of the total volume of the planet, yet plays a significant role in the planet's geologic history. Understanding physical surface properties is also very important in determining safe landing sites for spacecraft.
caption: Mars sample return missions have been proposed that would return material from the surface of Mars back to Earth
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