vania-janet/multiturn-rag-retrieval-data huggingface dataset:
The Mars Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
This region was nice because it was a flat, safe spot for the rover to land. Also, studies with a satellite around Mars showed that it might contain a mineral called grey hematite. On Earth, grey hematite is often found in the presence of water. 

Opportunity found grey hematite in sphere-like grains in Meridiani Planum. Scientists called these grains “blueberries.” On Earth, hematite forms near water. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell 
On its journey, Spirit took many photos of Mars with its camera. They were the first color photos taken by a rover on another planet. Spirit also found several signs of past water, and evidence of geothermal, or volcanic activity. It explored sites that may have been hot springs millions of years ago.

 In this photo, you can see where Spirit dragged one of its wheels and churned up some soil. Here, it found a light-colored mineral called silica. On Earth, this kind of silica usually exists in hot springs, where life as we know it often finds a hot, happy home. Perhaps ancient microbes on Mars did as well! Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell 
Not to be outdone by its twin, Opportunity also took many color photos of the Martian landscape. It found evidence of water, too. Opportunity studied layers of minerals in the rock near its landing site. The evidence it collected suggested that its landing site was once the shoreline of a salty sea. 

 
Opportunity’s landing site in the flat Meridiana Planum. The shiny metal structure on the left is the rover’s heat shield that popped off during landing. Credit: Mars Exploration Rover Mission, JPL, NASA 
The rocks that Spirit and Opportunity studied showed scientists that a long time ago, water on Mars may have looked a lot like water on Earth. Mars once had lakes and rivers on the surface. Like Earth, it also had water below the ground, as well as water vapor in the atmosphere. 

 	article last updated October 14, 2020
 

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Mars News & Features - NASA Science
That’s the project that invites you to help identify exotic clouds high in the Martian atmosphere. Congratulations to the Cloudspotting on Mars team and all the volunteers who have helped spot Martian clouds!Article4 weeks agoWhy is Methane Seeping on Mars? NASA Scientists Have New Ideas5 min readThe most surprising revelation from NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover — that methane is seeping from the surface of Gale Crater — has scientists scratching their heads. Living creatures produce most of the methane on Earth. But scientists haven’t found convincing…Article1 month agoNASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Team Says Goodbye … for Now5 min readThe final downlink shift by the Ingenuity team was a time to reflect on a highly successful mission — and to prepare the first aircraft on another world for its new role. Engineers working on NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter assembled…Article1 month agoNASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs0 min readNASA Administrator Bill Nelson shared on Monday the agency’s path forward on the Mars Sample Return program, including seeking innovative designs to return valuable samples from Mars to Earth. Such samples will not only help us understand the formation and…News ReleaseNASA Invites Media to Mars Sample Return Update0 min readNASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT, Monday, April 15, to discuss the agency’s response to a Mars Sample Return Independent Review Board report from September 2023, including next steps for the program.
NASA Missions Provide New Insights into 'Ocean Worlds' in Our Solar System – NASA's Europa Clipper
The Cassini spacecraft detected the hydrogen in the plume of gas and icy material spraying from Enceladus during its last, and deepest, dive through the plume on Oct. 28, 2015. Cassini also sampled the plume's composition during flybys earlier in the mission. From these observations scientists have determined that nearly 98 percent of the gas in the plume is water, about 1 percent is hydrogen and the rest is a mixture of other molecules including carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia.
The measurement was made using Cassini's Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) instrument, which sniffs gases to determine their composition. INMS was designed to sample the upper atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan. After Cassini's surprising discovery of a towering plume of icy spray in 2005, emanating from hot cracks near the south pole, scientists turned its detectors toward the small moon.
Cassini wasn't designed to detect signs of life in the Enceladus plume – indeed, scientists didn't know the plume existed until after the spacecraft arrived at Saturn.
"Although we can't detect life, we've found that there's a food source there for it. It would be like a candy store for microbes," said Hunter Waite, lead author of the Cassini study.
The new findings are an independent line of evidence that hydrothermal activity is taking place in the Enceladus ocean. Previous results, published in March 2015, suggested hot water is interacting with rock beneath the sea; the new findings support that conclusion and add that the rock appears to be reacting chemically to produce the hydrogen.
The paper detailing new Hubble Space Telescope findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, reports on observations of Europa from 2016 in which a probable plume of material was seen erupting from the moon’s surface at the same location where Hubble saw evidence of a plume in 2014. These images bolster evidence that the Europa plumes could be a real phenomenon, flaring up intermittently in the same region on the moon's surface.
The newly imaged plume rises about 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Europa’s surface, while the one observed in 2014 was estimated to be about 30 miles (50 kilometers) high.
All About Mars | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
All About Mars | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

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All About Mars

Mars’ atmosphere has clouds and wind just like Earth. Sometimes the wind blows the red dust into a dust storm. Spiraling dust storms–called dust devils–can look like tornadoes. Mars’ large storms sometimes cover the entire planet. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Mars is a cold desert world. The average temperature on Mars is minus 85 degrees Fahrenheit – way below freezing. It is half the size of Earth. Mars is sometimes called the Red Planet. It's red because of rusty iron in the ground.
Like Earth, Mars has seasons, polar ice caps, volcanoes, canyons, and weather. It has a very thin atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon. People would not be able to breathe the air on Mars.

Explore Mars! Click and drag to rotate the planet. Scroll or pinch to zoom in and out. Credit: NASA Visualization Technology Applications and Development (VTAD)

There are signs of ancient floods on Mars, but now water mostly exists in icy dirt and thin clouds. On some Martian hillsides, there is evidence of liquid salty water in the ground.
Scientists want to know if Mars may have had living things in the past. They also want to know if Mars could support life now or in the future.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Structure and Surface

Mars is a terrestrial planet. It is small and rocky.
Mars has a thin atmosphere.
Mars has an active atmosphere, but the surface of the planet is not active. Its volcanoes are dead.

Time on Mars

One day on Mars lasts 24.6 hours. It is just a little longer than a day on Earth.
One year on Mars is 687 Earth days. It is almost twice as long as one year on Earth.

Mars’ Neighbors

Mars has two moons.
Mars Resources - NASA Science
This resource package is suitable for educators, students, and anyone interested in learning more about Mars!Discover MarsIn addition to the resources on this page, follow along with updates on Mars science and upcoming missions through @NASASolarSystem on your preferred social media platform.ImagesVideos & AnimationsActivitiesAudioDigitalPostersImagesView images taken on the Red Planet by our robotic explorers, signature selfies, and more!ExploreThis view of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was generated using data collected by the Mastcam-Z instrument aboard the agency’s Perseverance Mars rover.NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSSVideos and AnimationsView All VideosHow Solar Storms in 2024 Will Help Mars Astronauts in the FutureThe Sun's activity will be at its peak in 2024, providing a rare opportunity to study how solar storms and radiation could affect future astronauts and robots on Mars.WatchNASA Science Live: Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Tribute & LegacyWith 72 successful flights, NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter far surpassed its originally planned technology demonstration of up to five flights. Learn more about the legacy of this historic mission.WatchMars Rock Samples: The Stories They Could TellDiscover the secrets that we could unravel by studying Mars samples in state-of-the-art labs on Earth.WatchWhat NASA's Curiosity Rover Has Learned in Over 10 Years of ExploringNASA's Curiosity Mars rover set out to answer a big question when it landed on the Red Planet more than 10 years ago: Could Mars have supported ancient life?WatchActivitiesTake your exploring to the next level with our hands-on educational resources, coloring pages and more!Explore More ActivitiesA great way to practice classifying rocks is by describing the structures found inside different candy bars. Like rocks and soil, candy bars have features that offer clues about what they're made of and how they formed.NASA/JPLAudioSounds of MarsEver wonder how you would sound on Mars?
Mars - NASA Science
NASA missions have found lots of evidence that Mars was much wetter and warmer, with a thicker atmosphere, billions of years ago.Explore with UsEarth-Mars Comparison: This composite image, from NASA Galileo and Mars Global Survey orbiters, of Earth and Mars was created to allow viewers to gain a better understanding of the relative sizes of the two planets.JPLMars Relay NetworkUnable to render the provided sourceSee the current, past, and future communication between Mars orbiters, Mars landers and rovers, using real data from the Mars missions themselves. Land on the surface of Mars with the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers to see the orbiters fly overhead, or see the communication "wedges" visually from orbit.NASA/JPL-Caltech/VTADHow We ExploreMars 2020: Perseverance RoverThe Mars 2020 mission Perseverance rover is the first step of a proposed roundtrip journey to return Mars samples to Earth.Mars Sample ReturnNASA and ESA (European Space Agency) are planning ways to bring the first samples of Mars material back to Earth for detailed study. Mars Curiosity Rover (Mars Science Laboratory)Curiosity is investigating Mars to determine whether the Red Planet was ever habitable to microbial life.Learn More About Our Robotic ExplorersMultimediaMars ResourcesView the one-stop shop for all Mars iconic images, videos, and more!ExploreNASA’s Perseverance Mars rover captured this video of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter’s 54th flight on Aug. 3, 2023. After performing a preflight “wiggle check” with its rotors, the helicopter takes off, hovers at an altitude of 16 feet (5 meters), and rotates to the left, before touching back down. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSSNews & FeaturesAll Mars News & FeaturesNews Release2 min readNASA Technology Grants to Advance Moon to Mars Space ExplorationArticle4 min readNASA Selects Commercial Service Studies to Enable Mars Robotic Science6 min readNASA Scientists Gear Up for Solar Storms at MarsArticle4 weeks ago1 min readMajor Martian MilestonesArticle4 weeks ago5 min readWhy is Methane Seeping on Mars?
Mars Exploration Science Goals - NASA Science
In the presence of UV radiation, "superoxides" in Martian soil break down organic molecules. This would probably not affect astronauts seriously, but the impact of this and any other unique chemical aspects of the Martian soil must be assessed before human exploration of Mars can begin. NASA missions have already begun to analyze the Mars radiation environment on Mars and search for water resources that could support future human explorers. Those resources could be accessed eventually by robotic spacecraft, rovers, and drills. In addition, advanced entry, descent, and landing techniques that reduce the G-forces on landers are planned for spacecraft and astronaut safety.Much of the necessary scientific and technological work for the goal of sending humans to Mars is carried out by NASA's Johnson Space Center. For more information about eventual human Mars missions, visit NASA's Human to Mars webpage.MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-situ Resource Utilization Experiment) is lowered into the chassis of NASA’s Perseverance in 2019. During the mission, MOXIE extracted oxygen from the Martian atmosphere 16 times, testing a way that future astronauts could make rocket propellant that would launch them back to EarthNASA/JPL-CaltechKeep ExploringDiscover More Topics From NASASolar System ExplorationAsteroids, Comets & MeteorsMoonKidsReturn to topThe National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.About NASA's MissionJoin UsHomeNews & EventsMultimediaNASA+MissionsHumans in SpaceEarth & ClimateThe Solar SystemThe UniverseScienceAeronauticsTechnologyLearning ResourcesAbout NASANASA en EspañolFollow NASAMore NASA Social AccountsNASA NewslettersSitemapFor MediaPrivacy PolicyFOIANo FEAR ActOffice of the IGBudget & Annual ReportsAgency Financial ReportsContact NASAAccessibilityPage Last Updated:last monthPage Editor:SMD Content EditorsResponsible NASA Official for Science:Dana Bolles
Mars Exploration Science Goals - NASA Science
The current Martian atmosphere consists mostly of carbon dioxide. Any discovery of carbonate minerals formed on the Martian surface by chemical reactions between water and the atmosphere would be a clue that water had been present for a long time--perhaps long enough for life to have developed. By studying fossils in sedimentary rock on Earth that leave a record of past life, we know that only certain environments and types of deposits preserve fossils well. We look for lakes and streams on Mars that may have left behind similar deposits. Images like this from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show many channels from approximately 3 feet to 33 feet (1 meter to 10 meters) wide on a scarp in the Hellas impact basin.NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of ArizonaCharacterize the Climate of MarsWhat's the Martian Climate Like Today?The current Martian climate is regulated by seasonal changes of carbon dioxide ice caps, atmospheric movement of large amounts of dust, and water vapor exchange between the surface and atmosphere. One of Mars' most dynamic weather patterns is the generation of dust storms, generally in the southern spring and summer. These storms can grow to encompass the whole planet. Understanding how these storms develop and grow is one science goal.These two views from NASA’s Curiosity rover, acquired specifically to measure the amount of dust inside Gale Crater, show that dust has increased over three days from a major Martian dust storm.NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSSWhat Can the Current Climate on Mars Reveal about the Past?A better understanding of Mars' current climate helps scientists more effectively model its past behavior. To do this, they need Mars weather maps and information about quantities of dust and water vapor in the atmosphere. Monitoring the planet for this information over one full Martian year (687 Earth days) and repeated years helps us understand how Mars behaves over its seasonal cycle and guides us toward understanding how the planet changes over millions of years. The layered terrain of Martian polar regions also holds clues about the planet's past, much as a tree's rings provide a record of its history. When and how were these polar layers deposited? Was the climate of Mars ever like that of Earth? And if so, what happened to change the planet into the dry, cold, barren desert it is today?
All About Mars | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Mars has a thin atmosphere.
Mars has an active atmosphere, but the surface of the planet is not active. Its volcanoes are dead.

Time on Mars

One day on Mars lasts 24.6 hours. It is just a little longer than a day on Earth.
One year on Mars is 687 Earth days. It is almost twice as long as one year on Earth.

Mars’ Neighbors

Mars has two moons. Their names are Phobos and Deimos.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. That means Earth and Jupiter are Mars’ neighboring planets.

Quick History

Mars has been known since ancient times because it can be seen without advanced telescopes.
There was even a flying helicopter on Mars. Seriously! The Mars Helicopter, Ingenuity, successfully tested powered, controlled flight on another world for the first time. It hitched a ride to Mars on the Perseverance rover and worked with the rover to explore Mars. Ingenuity was designed as a tech demo expected to fly no more than five times over 30 days. It ended its mission in early 2024 having completed 72 flights in just under three years. Thanks Ingenuity!
Several missions have orbited, landed on, or roved around on Mars: InSight, MAVEN, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and many more! Mars is the only planet we have sent rovers to. They drive around Mars, taking pictures and measurements. Learn more about them and what they have discovered by clicking the pictures below!

Mars Rovers

Perseverance

Curiosity

Spirit and Opportunity

Sojourner

What does Mars look like?

This infographic uses composite orbiter images and an outline of the United States to show the scale of the Valles Marineris (a canyon system more than 2,000 miles long!). Swipe left and right to see how big this canyon system is compared to the United States. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This animated GIF was created using footage taken by NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter during its 25th flight on April 8, 2022. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Guides | NASA eClips
In this lesson, students will address the common misconception that Mars is red because of its temperature. As students develop their understanding of chemical change in matter through explore activities, they will learn new vocabulary that applies to new concepts. Students will apply the vocabulary as they explain that Mars has a reddish tint due to the reaction of the rocks to its atmosphere. 

 Download Evidence of Chemical Change - Student Packet 

 Evidence of Chemical Change - Teacher Packet 

 In this lesson, students will address the common misconception that Mars is red because of its temperature. As students develop their understanding of chemical change in matter through explore activities, they will learn new vocabulary that applies to new concepts. Students will apply the vocabulary as they explain that Mars has a reddish tint due to the reaction of the rocks to its atmosphere. 

 Download Evidence of Chemical Change - Teacher Packet 

 Gases and Mass - Student Packet 

 As a result of watching the Spotlite video, learning the vocabulary collaboratively using the Frayer Model, and discussing the characteristics of gases, students will be able to use scientific vocabulary to explain that gases have mass. 

 Download Gases and Mass - Student Packet 

 Gases and Mass - Teacher Packet 

 As a result of watching the Spotlite video, learning the vocabulary collaboratively using the Frayer Model, and discussing the characteristics of gases, students will be able to use scientific vocabulary to explain that gases have mass. 

 Download Gases and Mass - Teacher Packet 

 Heat & Temperature - Teacher Packet 

 In this activity, students will explain the difference between heat and energy as a result of watching the NASA Spotlite video, learning the vocabulary collaboratively, and discussing how the movement of molecules creates thermal energy. 

 Download Heat & Temperature - Teacher Packet 

 Interactions of Light - Student Packet 

 In this lesson, students will address the common misconception that light is unaffected as it passes through transparent materials. As the students develop their understanding of the interaction of light with matter through explore activities, they will learn new vocabulary that applies to new concepts. Students will apply the vocabulary as they explain how light interacts with different materials. 

 Download Interactions of Light - Student Packet 

 Interactions of Light - Teacher Packet 

 In this lesson, students will address the common misconception that light is unaffected as it passes through transparent materials.