Mars Express is the first spacecraft of the European Space Agency (ESA) to explore the planet Mars, launched in June 2003 and began its exploration journey from Mars orbit in December of the same year. The Mars Express is designed to comprehensively study the red planet, from the planet’s surface, geology, atmosphere and poles. After more than two decades of operation, Mars Express has provided a lot of important information about Mars, helping scientists better understand the planet’s structure, climate and ability to exist in the history of water.
With advanced scientific instruments, Mars Express not only explores the surface of Mars but also performs detailed analyzes of the planet’s atmosphere and polar regions. The findings from Mars Express have contributed to the understanding of Mars, opening up new lines of research into the planet’s ability to support life and the factors that influenced its evolution.
Mars Express Science Mission
Mars Express is equipped with seven major science instruments, including the HRSC (High Resolution Stereo Camera) surface imager, the OMEGA spectrometer, and the MARSIS (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding) radar. . These instruments help the spacecraft analyze the Martian surface in detail, identify minerals and study the planet’s geological and atmospheric features.
One of the big discoveries of Mars Express was the discovery of signs of water ice at the poles of Mars, along with evidence that liquid water may exist below the surface. MARSIS radar has played a key role in detecting pockets of subsurface water near the south pole of Mars, a remarkable discovery that raises hopes that the planet once supported life. .
Discovery of the Martian Atmosphere
Mars Express has also helped us better understand the atmosphere of Mars, especially about past atmospheric loss. Data from the spacecraft shows that the planet has lost much of its atmosphere due to the impact of the solar wind. Studies of the interaction between the Martian atmosphere and the solar wind have helped scientists explain why the planet is no longer able to retain liquid water on its surface.
Additionally, Mars Express has recorded the presence of methane in the atmosphere of Mars. Methane is a chemical compound that can be produced from biological or geological processes. This discovery has raised curiosity about the possibility of microbial life existing under the surface of Mars or of active geological processes, such as volcanism or the decomposition of organic minerals.
Studying the Polar Regions of Mars
One of the important goals of Mars Express is to study the polar regions of Mars, where layers of CO2 and water ice exist year-round. The spacecraft’s instruments have allowed scientists to analyze the structure and dynamics of the polar ice caps, providing information about the red planet’s climate history.
The MARSIS radar has detected thick layers of subsurface ice and a large underground lake at the south pole, an important discovery that helps shed light on the role of water in the formation and evolution of Mars. Studying the planet’s polar regions could provide further evidence of the existence of water in the past and Mars’ ability to sustain liquid water under current conditions.
Contributing to the Search for Life on Mars
One of the long-term goals of the Mars Express mission is to support the search for signs of life on Mars. The discovery of underground water under the surface along with methane in the atmosphere has suggested the possibility that Mars may have had or still has microbial life. Data from the Mars Express spacecraft has helped shape strategies for finding life on Mars, from identifying potential sites to more closely studying the necessary biological conditions.
Mars Express has played an important role in opening up research into extraterrestrial life, providing valuable clues for future missions. Findings from the spacecraft have contributed to clarifying the possibility that Mars may have been a habitable planet, as well as laid the foundation for the study of subsurface microbial life.
Explore space
The Mars Express spacecraft has been on an amazing journey of discovery for more than two decades from the orbit of Mars. The probe’s discoveries about the planet’s groundwater, atmosphere and poles have changed the way we understand the geological evolution and climate of Mars. In addition, research on methane and groundwater has opened up new questions about the possibility of life on the red planet. Mars Express is not only an important achievement for the European Space Agency but also an indispensable part in the search for extraterrestrial life. This mission will continue to play an important role in future research and exploration, as humans move closer to a deeper understanding of our mysterious neighboring planet.
