Mars digger is declared dead after failing to burrow deep enough

NASA Insight’s ‘Mole’ bites the dust: Mars digger is declared dead after failing to burrow deep enough into the Red Planet to take its temperature after two years InSight arrived on Mars in November 2018 with a range of scientific instruments Instruments included a seismometer, temperature probe and weather station  German scientist have been trying … Read more

Mars, Snickers and Twix release ‘handbag size’ treats for less than 100 calories

Mars, Snickers and Twix launch new ‘handbag-size’ that’s less than 100 calories – but they still cost the same as a regular bar Snickers, Twix and Mars have released 21g, 100 calorie versions of their treats Treats are available across the UK for 40p or in multipacks of ten for £2.79  They are the same recipe … Read more

Giant flare that passed Mars came from a neutron star in a galaxy 11.4 million light-years away

Giant flare that swept passed Mars originated from a powerful neutron star in a galaxy 11.4 million light-years from Earth A giant flare was detected in April by NASA satellites as it swept passed Mars  Scientists say it came from a powerful neutron star 11.4 million light-years away This is the highest burst to be … Read more

Methane-based rocket fuel ‘can be made on MARS in one-step process’

Methane-based rocket fuel can be made on MARS in a one-step process that uses zinc and a small portable device, physicist claims Experts have devices a plan for astronauts get enough fuel to return to Earth from Mars – by making methane-based fuel on the surface of the Red Planet Physicists are using materials found … Read more

Methane-based rocket fuel can be made on MARS in a one-step process, physicist claims

Methane-based rocket fuel can be made on MARS in a one-step process that uses zinc and a small portable device, physicist claims Experts have devices a plan for astronauts get enough fuel to return to Earth from Mars – by making methane-based fuel on the surface of the Red Planet Physicists are using materials found … Read more

Sweet surprise: Look inside Mars reveals the Red Planet’s crust resembles a three-layer cake

Sweet surprise: NASA Insight lander’s first look inside Mars reveals the Red Planet’s crust resembles a three-layer cake The lander’s seismometer has recorded over 480 marsquakes since April 2019 Differences in how seismic waves move lets scientists evaluate the crust’s size and composition They believe Mars’ crust is about 23 miles thick,  far thicker than … Read more

Image of Christmas ‘angel’ complete with a halo and wings is snapped on Mars

Christmas might not be an earthbound holiday, according to a startling image from the surface of Mars taken by a European Space Agency satellite. The ESA’s Mars Express captured what looks like an angel, complete with halo and wings, near the Red Planet’s southern pole. The satellite’s high-resolution stereo camera also snapped what looks like a … Read more

China to press ahead with plans to bring rocks back from Mars by 2030

Successfully returning the first samples of Moon rock to the Earth in 45 years isn’t enough for the Chinese space agency, who have their sights set on Mars. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) previously announced plans to send a sample-return mission to the Martian surface by 2030 and after the success of the Chang’e-5 … Read more

Mars may once have harboured alien life miles beneath the surface

How important is the presence of liquid water? It is now widely believed that Mars holds a reasonably large volume of water. However, the surface of the planet is so cold, this water exists only as ice. In order for life to exist on a planet, many scientists believe it is essential for the world … Read more

New technology will allow astronauts to transform salt water on Mars into oxygen and fuel

New technology will allow astronauts to transform salt water on Mars into oxygen and fuel when they land on the Red Planet in 2033 The system is designed with  two sides – one splits the water to form a hydroxyl ion and the other splits it again to produce oxygen It produces 25 times more oxygen … Read more