Space / Mars

Russia's Dark Horse Plan to Get to Mars

The Fobos-Grunt mission might pave the way for humanity's first permanent space base—on Phobos, Mars' bizarre moon. 05.21.2009

A Scientist's Guide to Finding Alien Life: Where, When, and in What Universe

A variety of new findings point to the "habitable zones" where we're likely to find extraterrestrials. 05.11.2009

A Sneak Preview of the Mars Science Lab

The six-wheeled, plutonium-powered, car–sized vehicle aims to drill deeper and learn more. 01.26.2009

#6: Phoenix Lander Strikes Ice on Mars

Finally, positive confirmation of what we long thought and hoped for 12.21.2008

#60: Mars Became Lopsided After Massive Asteroid Collision

After 30 years, the debate over the red planet's shape may be over. 12.11.2008

Searching Heaven and Earth for the Real Johannes Kepler

Galileo may be science's most famous martyr, but it was Kepler who solved the mystery of the planets. 10.05.2008

What is This? The Surface of Mars?

Not quite—but some people pretend it is. 09.03.2008

The Robot Designed to Master Mars

Sandbot can scoot along any surface—including other planets. 06.04.2008

The Make-Believe Mars

Earthlings go to Mars-esque locales to prepare for the real thing. 06.21.2007

Sunset over Mars

Requiem for the Mars Global Surveyor 03.14.2007

Mars Exposed

With the new Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter zeroing in on its target, NASA scientists prepare for an unprecedented look at the Red Planet's ancient seas and modern ice fields—key sites in the ongoing search for life. 10.10.2006

The Future of NASA

Michael Griffin is gearing NASA up to build a moon base. Is he paving the way to Mars or jeopardizing the future of American space exploration? 09.01.2006

Fossils of the First Life

New fossil analysis puts the beginning of life more than 3.4 billion years ago. 09.01.2006

Soviet Space Race, Round II

Nearly 40 years after Apollo, Russia eyes moon tourists--and the Red Planet. 08.01.2006

Are We Trapped On Earth?

Impossible Journey? 06.19.2006

Life on Mars

Minerals suggest microbes once flourished. 04.24.2006

Wet Mars

03.03.2006

The Year in Science: Space Exploration

NASA's latest manned rocket, Saturn's moons, comet smashing, and more. 01.08.2006

The Race to Mars

Will the European 2 Agency put astronauts on the Red Planet before NASA does? 11.22.2005

Mapping Mars

The red planet has plate tectonics. 10.25.2005

Life on Mars

05.01.2005

The Color of Mars

After dozens of missions and billions of dollars, NASA scientists are havin? surprisingly hard time agreeing on what the Red Planet really looks like 12.03.2004

Seeding the Universe

The search for life on Mars could be a bit complicated by the hitchhikers on our rovers 10.01.2004

Sky Lights

Does the secret of extraterrestrial life lie deep within the stars and planets? 07.25.2004

Discover Dialogue: Planetary Scientist Steve Squyres

What the team here at the Jet Propulsion Lab pulled off was magical. 06.27.2004

Ole Mars River

Meandering channels provide evidence for the Red Planet's watery past 11.21.2003

On Mars, NASA Seems to Be Brilliant

On Mars, NASA Seems to Be Brilliant 11.08.2003

Let's Go to Mars

Electroshock for a depressed space program 10.01.2003

Sky Lights

Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular 08.01.2003

Tiny Tornadoes

Dust devils were one of those scientific mysteries no one on Earth bothered to study until we figured out that they may control Mars's weather 07.01.2003

Mars Express

Europe's space program takes a step forward—in science and prestige. 05.01.2003

Are We Ready for Alien Bugs?

In a dozen years, NASA plans to bring Mars soil samples to Earth. No one is quite certain what to do with them when they get here 03.01.2003

Dragonflies on Mars

11.01.2002

Sky Lights

Colors reveal what's brewing on other planets 12.01.2001

Did Life on Earth Come From Mars?

Chunks of planets were flying all over the place when the solar system was young—and some may have carried hitchhikers 08.01.2001

Sky Lights

Busting the myths about Mars 06.01.2001

Sky Lights

A preview of the coming year in astronomy, ready to clip to the fridge 01.01.2001

Sky Lights

Calculating the odds of surviving a manned mission to Mars 10.01.2000

Red Waterworld

09.01.2000

The Next Mission to Mars

A complete guide to the exciting December 3 touchdown near the Red Planet's South Pole 09.01.1999

Life From Mars

More evidence for fossilized bacteria in a meteorite from Mars. 06.01.1999

Sky Lights

Who needs a telescope when the Red Planet is this close? 05.01.1999

Here Comes Mars

Who needs a telescope when the Red Planet is this close? 05.01.1999

For the Love of Mars

The members of the Mars Society are united in their frontier vision of the Red Planet, but fiercely at odds on the nature of the Martian society they'll construct. 02.01.1999

For the Love of Mars

The members of the Mars Society are united in their frontier vision of the Red Planet, but fiercely at odds on the nature of the Martian society they'll construct. 02.01.1999

The Year in Science: Space 1997

Cheaper, Faster, Bouncier 01.01.1998

It's Only Rocket Science

So you don't happen to have a spare half-trillion dollars. Cheer up, there's more than one way to Mars, after all, it's only rocket science. 05.01.1997

The Ulitmate Suburb

Hints of fossilized microbes have rekindled NASA's hopes for a community on Mars. 05.01.1997

Chutes and Landers

03.01.1997

Martian Nights

03.01.1997

Questionable Life

Finding evidence of ancient life on Mars may be even more difficult than we thought. 02.01.1997

Find of the Century?

A meteorite bearing tantalizing evidence of life on Mars makes a big splash. 01.01.1997

Jack Farmer, Exopaleontologist

Sometime in the next century, he hopes to find fossil microbes on Mars. 10.01.1995

So Far, So Near

06.01.1994



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