This image shows a subsurface explorer on the surface of Mars
(this is an artist's rendition). Such subsurface explorers would
help us look for water and organic material below the surface of
Mars. A "robotic mole" like this one would also test to see what
minerals make up the Martian interior. One of the proposals does
involve a subsurface explorer that would dive through the
Martian polar ice caps. Click on image for full size Courtesy of
NASA/JPL News story originally written on June 18, 2001 43 Scout
missions were proposed to NASA. 10 were selected. These 10 are
competing to see which missions will be included as future Scout
missions to Mars. May the best robots, gliders, rovers, orbiters
or landers win! The 10 proposals that made it this far will
receive 6 months of funding to do further investigation for
their proposed mission. The Scout missions that are sent to Mars
in the coming years (the first being launched in 2007) will join
the Martian fleet including the 2001 Mars Odyssey, twin rovers
which wi