Mars seems like such a mysterious, fascinating planet!
I agree! It is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second smallest planet in the Solar System.
Oh, I actually thought it was a large planet! There's always so much talk about life on Mars, do you think that's possible? Are there resources on the planet?
Mars has a thin atmosphere and polar ice caps which give scientists hope of finding life on Mars.
That's so cool! Does NASA still send missions to explore Mars?
Yes, there are ongoing space missions that are investigating Mars and its potential for life.
Do you know when the first mission to Mars took place?
Exploration of Mars
The planet Mars has been explored remotely by spacecraft. Probes sent from Earth, beginning in the late 20th century, have yielded a large increase in knowledge about the Martian system, focused primarily 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. Roughly sixty percent of all spacecraft destined for Mars failed before completing their missions and some failed before their observations could begin. Some missions have met with unexpected success
Outline of Mars
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Mars:
Mars – fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, after Mercury. Named after the Roman god of war, it is often referred to as the "Red Planet" because the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the valleys,