Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System. It is often referred to as the "Red Planet" due to its reddish appearance, which is caused by iron oxide prevalent on its surface. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere composed primarily of carbon dioxide.

Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregularly shaped. These may be captured asteroids, similar to 5261 Eureka, a Martian trojan asteroid.

Mars can easily be seen from Earth with the naked eye, as can its reddish coloring. Its apparent magnitude reaches −2.94, which is surpassed only by Jupiter, Venus, the Moon, and the Sun. Optical ground-based telescopes are typically limited to resolving features about 300 kilometers (186 miles) across when Earth and Mars are closest because of Earth's atmosphere.

Exploration of Mars

Exploration of Mars is conducted both by unmanned robotic space probes and by manned missions. The study of Mars has been an important part of the space exploration programs of the Soviet Union (later Russia), the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Robotic spacecraft sent from Earth have yielded a dramatic increase in knowledge about the Martian system, focused especially on understanding its geology and habitability potential. Engineering interplanetary journeys is complicated and the exploration of Mars has experienced a high failure rate, especially the early attempts.

The Future of Mars Exploration

The exploration of Mars has been a goal of national space programs for decades. With advances in technology and our understanding of space exploration, it is now possible to explore Mars in greater detail than ever before. With current plans for human missions to Mars in the works, it is possible that humans could one day live on the Red Planet.

NASA's current mission for Mars exploration is to send robotic probes to explore the planet's surface and atmosphere. This mission will help scientists better understand how Mars formed and evolved over time, as well as determine if there are any signs of life on the planet.