Jun 14, 2007 | SCIENCE
Evidence for Ancient Ocean on Mars
(NASA) - Scientists from NAI's University of California, Berkeley Team have a new paper out in Nature outlining evidence for the presence of an ancient ocean on Mars. The study points to a large body of liquid water at the pole which could have shifted Mars' spin axis. This shift would have in turn deformed the shoreline of this ocean relative to the rest of the surface topography, in accordance with observations.

Jun 08, 2007 | SCIENCE
HiRISE Mars
(University of Arizona, in Tucson) - Anyone connected to the Internet can now see Mars through the eyes of the most powerful camera ever to orbit another planet. The collection includes important scientific images of craters, caverns and sedimentary rocks used by researchers to yield clues about the history of Mars' environment.

May 23, 2007 | SCIENCE
Gertrude's All Wet
(NASA) - A silica-rich patch of Martian soil analyzed by NASA's rover Spirit may provide some of the strongest evidence yet that ancient Mars was much wetter than it is now.

May 01, 2007 | SCIENCE
Exploring Caves from 30 Feet in the Air
(NASA) - Underground caves could prove ideal as places for future human explorers to live on Mars. But first, someone has to find them. Jut Wynne is trying to figure out how.

Apr 19, 2007 | SCIENCE
Antarctic Lake Robot Probe Sets Sights on Outer Space
(UIC News Bureau) - A robotic probe designed to draw an underwater three-dimensional map showing the biological and geochemical composition of an ice-bound Antarctica lake may prove to be the ideal tool to search for life on other planets or moons where ice is known to exist. Peter Doran, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is the lead investigator in a three-year, $2.3 million dollar study funded by NASA to build the probe that will map Antarctica's West Lake Bonney, a two-and-a-half mile long, one-mile wide, 130 foot-deep lake located in the continent's McMurdo Dry Valleys.

Apr 04, 2007 | SCIENCE
Caves on Mars
(Northern Arizona University) - Techniques used to scope out caves on Earth have been used to identify potential entrances to caves on Mars. If caves do exist on Mars, they might serve as a habitat for life by helping to protect organisms from harsh surface radiation and other factors.

Mar 01, 2007 |
NAI Graduate Student Selected to Help Plan for Future Mars EVA
(NASA) - NAI graduate student Irene Schneider from Penn State has been selected by NASA/Mars Society as crew physicist for the upcoming expedition 61 for the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS).

Feb 28, 2007 |
Urey to Test for Life on Mars
(NASA) - NASA-funded researchers are refining a tool that could not only check for the faintest traces of life's molecular building blocks on Mars, but could also determine whether they have been produced by anything alive.

Jan 10, 2007 | SCIENCE
Liquid Water on Mars: Is It Still Flowing?
(NASA NAI) - Two of the most important recent discoveries on Mars were "gullies" that indicate much more recent surface flows, less than a million years old, and the evidence from rovers on the surface that shallow ponds or seas of salty water must have once existed, although they may have been transient. Now, in what looks to be one of the most important recent discoveries about Mars, we have photographic evidence that flows of liquid water have taken place in the past seven years!

Sep 07, 2006 | MISSIONS
NASA Rover Nears Martian Bowl Goal
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity is nearing what may be the richest science trove of its mission.

Sep 05, 2006 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Tests Technology under Harsh Desert Conditions
(NASA) - The high desert of Arizona will be used to test robots, rovers and other space equipment that may be used on the moon and Mars.

Aug 25, 2006 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Announces Contractor for Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle
(NASA) - NASA will hold a press conference on Aug 31st to announce the prime contractor chosen to develop the next spacecraft to carry humans into space.

Aug 16, 2006 | SCIENCE
NASA Presents Exploration Program Update
(NASA - ARC) - Emerging global space leaders will gather at NASA Ames on Friday to discuss the future of space exploration.

Jul 17, 2006 | MISSIONS
NASA Marks 30th Anniversary of Mars Viking Mission
(NASA) - It was thirty years ago that NASA's Viking spacecraft performed the first successful landing on Mars.

Jul 13, 2006 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA to Test Automated Drilling Rig in Mars Analog Mission
(NASA - ARC) - Scientists are testing an automated drilling rig that may one day aid in the search for water and signs of life on Mars.

Jul 11, 2006 | MISSIONS
Possible Meteorites in the Martian Hills
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has photographed two potential iron meteorites in Gusev Crater.

May 25, 2006 | TECHNOLOGIES
Hard-nosed Advice to Lunar Prospectors
(NASA) - The associate Chief Scientist for NASA's Mars Program, an experienced prospector, provides advice for future Lunar and Martian explorers.

May 02, 2006 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Testing Prototype Software for Future Spaceflight
(NASA - ARC) - Software that astronauts could use in future moon habitats is being tested in the Utah desert.

Mar 20, 2006 | MISSIONS
Rovers Prepare for Martian Winter
(NASA - JPL) - A new MER project manager is named as preparations for the Martian winter begin.

Mar 15, 2006 | MISSIONS
Years of Observing Combined Into Best-Yet Look at Mars Canyon
(NASA - JPL) - By merging photos from Mars Odyssey, scientists now have a new view of Mars' giant canyon.

Mar 11, 2006 | MISSIONS
Robotic NASA Craft Begins Orbiting Mars for Most-Detailed Exam
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's new mission to Mars successfully entered into orbit around the red planet on Friday.

Mar 06, 2006 | MISSIONS
NASA Announces Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Coverage
(NASA) - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter prepares for one of the most critical moments in its flight, the spacecraft's arrival at Mars.

Feb 27, 2006 | MISSIONS
NASA's Orbiter Nears Red Planet Rendezvous
(NASA) - The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is preparing to slow down and allow the gravity of Mars to pull it into orbit.

Feb 23, 2006 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Ames Tests Model of New Spaceship Crew Capsule
(NASA - ARC) - Tests to help in the development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle began this week at NASA Ames.

Feb 20, 2006 | MISSIONS
NASA Announces Mars Mission Briefing
(NASA) - NASA will brief media on the progress of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter this Friday.

Feb 16, 2006 | TECHNOLOGIES
Module for Crew Life Support Delivered to Marshall Space Flight Center
(NASA - MSFC) - A module originally developed for use on the International Space Station will now help researchers study life support systems.

Feb 13, 2006 | MISSIONS
Spirit Reaches 'Home Plate'
(NASA) - Spirit has reached the geologic feature dubbed 'Home Plate' in Gusev Crater.

Jan 25, 2006 | MISSIONS
Mars Rovers Advance Understanding of the Red Planet
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit and Opportunity continue to find new variations of bedrock in areas they are exploring.

Dec 24, 2005 | MISSIONS
Possible Evidence Found for Beagle 2 Location
(ESA) - Researchers at ESA may have spotted the Beagle 2 landing site.

Dec 13, 2005 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Celebrates One Martian Year
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity celebrated its 'One Martian Year' Anniversary on December 12.

Dec 05, 2005 | EDUCATION
NASA Events at 2005 Fall American Geophysical Union Meeting
(NASA - ARC) - NASA researchers present findings on a variety of Earth and space science topics at the 2005 Annual Fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union.

Dec 01, 2005 | MISSIONS
Glimpses of Mars Subsurface
(University of Iowa) - A scientific instrument on Mars Express identifies hidden craters and thick layers of ice beneath the surface of Mars.

Nov 30, 2005 | MISSIONS
Rover Helps Reveal Possible Secrets of Martian Life
(NASA - JPL) - Analysis of data from Opportunity reveals the challenges life may have faced in the harsh Martian environment.

Nov 29, 2005 | MISSIONS
Joint News Briefing to Discuss Titan and Mars
(NASA) - ESA will present the latest Huygens probe and Mars Express orbiter results in a briefing on Wednesday at 10 a.m. EST.

Nov 22, 2005 | MISSIONS
Spirit Marks One Martian Year on Mars
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Spirit rover has completed one Martian year (almost two Earth years) on Mars.

Nov 21, 2005 | MISSIONS
ESA 'Huygens and Mars Express' Science Highlights - Call to press
(ESA) - On November 30th, ESA will discuss further results from Huygens and Mars Express.

Nov 18, 2005 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Scientist Honored for Spaceship Biosensor
(NASA - ARC) - A NASA scientist has been honored for an extensive portfolio of inventions, including microscopic biosensors that help ensure astronaut safety.

Nov 16, 2005 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Snaps Crater Contours
(NASA -JPL) - Mars Odyssey has returned fantastic images of Rabe Crater in the rough-hewn southern highlands of Mars.

Nov 07, 2005 | SCIENCE
Managing Murphy's Law on Mars
(NASA) - A NASA report lays out the risks of exploring Mars and considers how to mitigate them.

Nov 02, 2005 | MISSIONS
Mars Express PFS Spectrometer Back at Work
(ESA) - The PFS spectrometer onboard Mars Express is working again after a malfunction that was reported a few months ago.

Oct 31, 2005 | SCIENCE
Earthlings Will Get a Better View of Mars
(NASA - JPL) - Amateur astronomers may be able to see a dust storm on Mars this weekend as the planet makes a close approach to Earth.

Oct 26, 2005 | MISSIONS
Ice Beneath Mars Is Asking, ' Can you hear me now?'
(NASA - JPL) - A small amount of radio noise received in a test of the UHF radio system on Mars Odyssey in 2003 may be a signal reflected off of subsurface ice on Mars.

Oct 17, 2005 | MISSIONS
New site features
(Arizona State University) - New website features 'live' views of Mars from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Oct 14, 2005 | SCIENCE
Hubble Reveals Moon's Prospects
(NASA) - New Hubble images may suggest sources of oxygen for human exploration.

Sep 30, 2005 | EDUCATION
NASA Makes Exploring Mars from the Skies a Classroom Reality
(NASA - ARC) - On Oct 1, NASA will release a new classroom tool designed to teach students in grades 5 to 8 about a future human mission to Mars.

Sep 28, 2005 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA to Show Intelligent Space Robots in Action
(NASA - ARC) - NASA will showcase two intelligent robots on Monday, October 3, in the outdoor 'Marscape' at NASA Ames Research Center.

Sep 22, 2005 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Mission Extended
(ESA) - ESA has extended the Mars Express mission by one Martian year.

Sep 21, 2005 | MISSIONS
Orbiter Helps Scientists Track Changes on Mars
(NASA) - New gullies that did not exist in mid-2002 have appeared on a Martian sand dune.

Sep 19, 2005 | MISSIONS
How We'll Get Back to the Moon
(NASA) - NASA's new spaceship is the key to making the Vision for Space Exploration a reality.

Sep 16, 2005 | MISSIONS
Media Teleconference for Mars Discoveries
(NASA) - NASA's Mars Global Survey orbiter has observed some interesting changes at Mars.

Sep 14, 2005 | MISSIONS
Mars Orbiter Looking Good
(NASA - JPL) - Three cameras on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter worked as expected in a recent test.

Aug 30, 2005 | MISSIONS
Mars Orbiter Makes Successful Course Correction
(NASA) - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) successfully tested its main engines.

Aug 26, 2005 | MISSIONS
Briefing Will Present News from a Martian Hilltop
(NASA) - Spirit has reached the summit of Husband Hill.

Aug 10, 2005 | MISSIONS
NASA Announces Mars Orbiter Launch Delay
(NASA) - The launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been delayed until tomorrow.

Aug 05, 2005 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Radar Collects First Surface Data
(ESA) - Mars Express has collected its first surface data at Mars.

Aug 01, 2005 | MISSIONS
ELV Status Report
(NASA) - The MRO spacecraft has been mated with the Atlas V for the last phase of launch preparations.

Jul 28, 2005 | MISSIONS
Water Ice in Crater at Martian North Pole
(ESA) - Mars Express has identified a patch of water ice in an unnamed crater at Mars' north pole.

Jul 22, 2005 | MISSIONS
New Mars Orbiter Will Sharpen Vision of Exploration
(NASA) - Launch opportunities begin Aug. 10 for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Jul 15, 2005 | MISSIONS
Briefing Previews Next Step for Exploring Mars
(NASA) - NASA announced launch opportunities start Aug. 10, 2005, for the agency's next mission to Mars.

Jun 23, 2005 | MISSIONS
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Status Report
(NASA) - The Launch Vehicle Readiness Test is under way for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scheduled to launch on August 10th.

Jun 16, 2005 | MISSIONS
Smooth Deployment for Second MARSIS Antenna Boom
(ESA) - The second 20-meter antennae boom of the MARSIS instrument onboard ESA's Mars Express has been successfully deployed.

Jun 15, 2005 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Discovers Aurorae on Mars
(ESA) - For the first time ever, an aurora has been detected on Mars.

May 24, 2005 | MISSIONS
Rovers Continue Martian Missions
(NASA - JPL) - Mars rover Opportunity tries to escape from a sand trap, while its twin, Spirit, is busy finding new clues to a wet and violent early Martian history.

May 17, 2005 | MISSIONS
First MARSIS Boom Successfully Deployed
(ESA) - Controllers for ESA's Mars Express have successfully deployed the first boom of the spacecraft's MARSIS radar.

May 03, 2005 | MISSIONS
NASA's Next Mars Spacecraft Arrives
(NASA) - The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has arrived in Florida and is being prepared for an August launch.

Apr 23, 2005 | SCIENCE
Yellowstone Discovery Bodes Well for Finding Evidence of Life on Mars
(NSF) - Research concerning organisms in Yellowstone's geothermal springs may help in the search for life on Mars.

Apr 13, 2005 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Testing Human-Robot Interactions in Utah Desert
(NASA - ARC) - Two NASA robots and two geologists are now simulating an expedition to another planet.

Apr 08, 2005 | MISSIONS
Europe Goes Back to Mars
(ESA) - Scientists in Europe have recommended that ESA's next mission to Mars include a rover for surface exploration.

Apr 06, 2005 | MISSIONS
Durable Mars Rovers Sent into Third Overtime Period
(NASA) - NASA has approved up to 18 more months of operations for Spirit and Opportunity.

Mar 31, 2005 | MISSIONS
Aurora: Mars Mission Options
(ESA) - On April 8, ESA will hold a press briefing to discuss the results of the upcoming Aurora workshop in Birmingham.

Mar 25, 2005 | SCIENCE
NASA Scientists to Discuss Risks of Moon Dust
(NASA - ARC) - In an upcoming workshop, NASA scientists will discuss the medical risks that Moon dust may pose for astronauts.

Mar 18, 2005 | MISSIONS
'Hourglass' Shaped Craters Filled with Traces of Glacier
(ESA) - A new image from Mars Express shows flow features most likely formed by glaciers or 'block' glaciers.

Mar 17, 2005 | MISSIONS
Robotic Astrobiology Expedition Yields Significant Science Findings
(NASA - ARC) - Scientists identified habitats and microbial life using a rover in Chile's arid Atacama desert, and their findings may bode well for future missions to Mars.

Mar 16, 2005 | MISSIONS
High Winds Make Spirit Full of Energy
(NASA - JPL) - Scientists are learning from NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers during the dust storm season on Mars.

Feb 24, 2005 | MISSIONS
ESA's Mars Express Sees Signs of a 'Frozen Sea'
(ESA) - Mars Express has imaged what appears to be a dust-covered sea of frozen ice near the equator of Mars.

Feb 21, 2005 | SCIENCE
NASA Statement on False Claim of Evidence of Life on Mars
(NASA) - News reports on February 16, 2005, that NASA scientists from Ames Research Center have found strong evidence that life may exist on Mars are incorrect.

Feb 17, 2005 | MISSIONS
Science from Mars Express after One Year in Orbit
(ESA) - Mars Express entered into orbit around the Red Planet a year ago and has returned an avalanche of valuable data.

Feb 04, 2005 | TECHNOLOGIES
The Sands of Mars
(NASA) - Our understanding of granular physics will play an important role in digging, driving, and mining on Mars.

Jan 25, 2005 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Tracks Seen from Orbit
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed on the red planet a year ago.

Jan 20, 2005 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Rover Finds an Iron Meteorite on Mars
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity has found an iron meteorite, the first meteorite of any type ever identified on another planet.

Jan 04, 2005 | MISSIONS
NASA Rovers' Adventures on Mars Continue
(NASA) - The Spirit rover begins its second year on Mars investigating puzzling rocks unlike any found earlier.

Dec 30, 2004 | MISSIONS
NASA Events Commemorate Rover Anniversary on Mars
(NASA) - Events are to be held at JPL on January 3rd to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Mars Exploration Rovers mission.

Dec 21, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rovers Earn Journal's 'Best Science' Title
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers' discovery of evidence of past water on Mars is named scientific "Breakthrough of the Year".

Dec 13, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rovers Spot Water-Clue Mineral, Frost, Clouds
(NASA - JPL) - Scientists have identified a water-signature mineral in bedrock examined by Spirit in the "Colombia Hills."

Dec 06, 2004 | MISSIONS
Reports Detail Rover Discoveries of Wet Martian History
(NASA - JPL) - Major research journal publishes findings from the Mars Exploration rovers.

Nov 12, 2004 | MISSIONS
Martian Moon Phobos in Detail
(ESA) - Mars Express has returned high resolution images of the martian moon Phobos.

Nov 11, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Exploration Rover Mission Status
(NASA - JPL) - Operators for the Opportunity rover are choosing a path for exiting Endurance Crater.

Nov 05, 2004 | MISSIONS
Spirit Adds Clues about History of Rocks in Martian Hills
(NASA - JPL) - Ten months after Spirit's dramatic landing, all of the instruments on both of the Mars Exploration Rovers are still working well.

Oct 29, 2004 | SCIENCE
Traveling to Mars and Hibernating like a Brown Bear
(ESA) - Researchers at ESA are studying how animals hibernate and the potential application this behavior may have for missions to Mars.

Oct 20, 2004 | MISSIONS
Rim of Crater Huygens on Mars
(ESA) - Mars Express returns images of the Huygens impact crater on Mars.

Oct 15, 2004 | SCIENCE
Promethei Terra, Southern Highlands of Mars
(ESA) - Mars Express provides images of dust devil tracks on Mars.

Oct 08, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rovers Probing Water History at Two Sites
(NASA - JPL) - Mars Exploration Rover team members report new findings about the history of water on Mars.

Sep 30, 2004 | SCIENCE
Study Suggests Spaceflight May Decrease Human Immunity
(NASA) - The conditions of space flight, as well as the stresses experienced before launch and after landing, may have adverse effects on the human immune system.

Sep 29, 2004 | TECHNOLOGIES
Mars Drill Will Seek Knowledge and Resources
(NASA) - A futuristic drilling rig designed for use on the Moon or on Mars is now being tested in Canada.

Sep 28, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Latest Findings Give Hints about Water Loss in the Martian Atmosphere
(ESA) - New data from the ASPERA-3 instrument supports the idea that the solar wind may be responsible for water loss on Mars.

Sep 27, 2004 | MISSIONS
Atacama Rover Helps NASA Learn to Search for Life on Mars
(NASA - ARC) - Scientists in the Atacama Desert are helping NASA learn more about the potential for primitive life on Mars.

Sep 22, 2004 | MISSIONS
Rover Missions Renewed as Mars Emerges from Behind Sun
(NASA - JPL) - The Mars Exploration Rovers are now active again, and NASA has decided to extend their mission for another six months.

Sep 20, 2004 | MISSIONS
Water and Methane Maps Overlap on Mars: a New Clue?
(ESA) - Mars Express data reveals that concentrations of water vapor and methane significantly overlap in the atmosphere of Mars.

Sep 02, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Exploration Rover Mission Status
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity has resumed using its rock abrasion tool.

Aug 26, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Begins Overtime after Successful Mission
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter will now begin working overtime after completing its prime mission.

Aug 18, 2004 | MISSIONS
Bedrock in Mars' Gusev Crater Hints at Watery Past
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit has found evidence that water thoroughly altered some rocks in Mars' Gusev Crater.

Aug 11, 2004 | MISSIONS
Relays from Mars Show International Interplanetary Networking
(NASA - JPL) - Mars Express demonstrates its ability to serve as a communications link to Mars.

Aug 10, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission Status
(NASA - JPL) - The team preparing NASA's next mission to Mars has begun integrating and testing the spacecraft's versatile payload.

Aug 09, 2004 | MISSIONS
Rocks Tell Stories in Reports of Spirit's First 90 Martian Days
(NASA - JPL) - Scientific findings from Spirit's first three months on Mars were published last Friday.

Jul 20, 2004 | SCIENCE
New Martian Meteorite Found in Antarctica
(NASA) - Researchers have uncovered a piece of Mars in Antarctica.

Jul 14, 2004 | MISSIONS
Voyager 1, Prepare for Action
(NASA) - At the outer limits of our solar system, a solar shock wave is about to overtake NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft.

Jul 13, 2004 | SCIENCE
IAA's Vision for Exploring Deep Space
(ESA) - The International Academy of Astronautics has released its vision for the scientific exploration of space in the 21st century.

Jul 07, 2004 | SCIENCE
Scientists Track Blast Wave To The Edge Of The Solar System
(NASA) - On July 8, scientists will discuss what was learned from last fall's record-shattering solar storms.

Jun 28, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Surprises Continue; Spirit, Too, Finds Hematite
(NASA - JPL) - Both Spirit and Opportunity have found new surprises for researchers back on Earth.

Jun 23, 2004 | MISSIONS
The Valles Marineris Canyon
(ESA) - ESA's Mars Express spacecraft continues to observe Mars and search for signs of past water activity.

Jun 15, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rovers Going The Extra Mile
(NASA) - NASA's Mars rovers are delighting scientists with their extra credit assignments.

Jun 10, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rovers Continue Unique Exploration of Mars
(NASA – JPL) - Opportunity prepares to move forward into Endurance crater.

Jun 04, 2004 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Gets Green Light To Enter Crater
(NASA) - NASA decides to send Opportunity into 'Endurance' crater.

Jun 02, 2004 | MISSIONS
Rovers Examining Hills and Crater in Bonus-Time Mission
(NASA – JPL) - NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers continue to discover clues about water on Mars, even after the end of their primary mission.

May 24, 2004 | MISSIONS
The Odyssey of Odyssey's 10,000 Orbits
(NASA) - On May 22, Odyssey completed its 10,000th mapping orbit of Mars.

May 19, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Inspects Stone Ejected From Crater
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity has been examining rocks blasted out of the "Endurance" impact crater.

May 07, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Arrival at Deeper Crater Provides a Tempting Eyeful
(NASA - JPL) - After a six-week trek, Opportunity has reached the stadium-sized 'Endurance Crater'.

Apr 29, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rovers Finish Primary Mission and Roll Onward
(NASA - JPL) - The Mars Exploration Rovers have begun 'extra-credit' assignments after completing their originally planned mission.

Apr 28, 2004 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Tests Computer 'Mobile Agents' and Helper Robot in Utah Desert
(NASA - ARC) - Technologies for future human missions to Mars began field tests this week.

Apr 27, 2004 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Develops Software for Mars Mission
(NASA – ARC) - A new science planning support system is helping the Mars Exploration Rovers with their daily operations.

Apr 20, 2004 | SCIENCE
Electric Martian Dust Devils
(NASA - GSFC) - Dust devils on Mars might have high-voltage electric fields.

Apr 08, 2004 | MISSIONS
NASA Extends Mars Rovers' Mission
(NASA – HQ) - NASA approves up to five months of overtime assignments for the Mars Exploration Rovers.

Apr 05, 2004 | MISSIONS
Spirit Finds Multi-Layer Hints of Past Water at Mars' Gusev Site
(NASA – JPL) - Spirit finds rock that may have been repeatedly exposed to water in Gusev crater.

Apr 01, 2004 | TECHNOLOGIES
Living Off the Land
(NASA) - NASA Geologists are working to make human missions to the Moon and Mars possible.

Mar 30, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Confirms Methane in the Martian Atmosphere
(ESA) - The Mars Express orbiter has detected very small amounts of methane on Mars.

Mar 29, 2004 | MISSIONS
New Phase of Exploration Beginning for Mars Rovers
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit enters new phase of exploration just before its 3-month primary mission ends.

Mar 23, 2004 | MISSIONS
More Clues Emerge to Mars' Watery Past
(NASA) - Researchers think that Opportunity is now parked on the edge of what used to be a salty sea on Mars.

Mar 23, 2004 | MISSIONS
Leaving the Nest
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity rolled out of its landing crater and gained a new view of Meridiani Planum.

Mar 20, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mineral in Mars 'Berries' Adds to Water Story
(NASA - JPL) - Small mineral spheres analyzed by Opportunity provide further understanding of past water at Meridiani Planum.

Mar 19, 2004 |
Water at Martian South Pole
(ESA) - ESA's Mars Express has identified both carbon dioxide and water ice at Mars' south pole.

Mar 08, 2004 | MISSIONS
Volcanic Rock in Mars' Gusev Crater Hints at Past Water
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Spirit rover has found its own potential evidence of past water on Mars.

Mar 03, 2004 | MISSIONS
Meridiani Planum: 'Drenched'
(NASA) - Scientists discuss Opportunity's evidence for past water on Mars.

Mar 02, 2004 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Rover Finds Strong Evidence Meridiani Planum Was Wet
(NASA - JPL) - Scientists have concluded that the area of Mars where NASA's Opportunity rover is exploring was soaking wet in the past.

Feb 27, 2004 | TECHNOLOGIES
Greenhouses on Mars
(NASA) - NASA-supported researchers are trying to understand how greenhouses may work on other planets.

Feb 23, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Updates
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit continues to examine the trench it created, and Opportunity is busy using its microscope.

Feb 18, 2004 | SCIENCE
Can People Go to Mars
(NASA) - NASA discusses how space radiation may affect a human mission to Mars.

Feb 16, 2004 | MISSIONS
Check Before Digging
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity prepares to dig and Spirit goes for a long drive.

Feb 11, 2004 | TECHNOLOGIES
AI to Help Martian Exploration
(BBCNews.com) - Scientists are developing a computer system that will help robotic and human explorers on Mars.

Feb 10, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Pictures Raise 'Blueberry Muffin' Questions
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit finishes drilling into volcanic basalt as Opportunity studies small spheres embedded in bedrock.

Feb 05, 2004 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Sees Tiny Spheres in Martian Soil
(NASA – JPL) - NASA's Opportunity has examined its first patch of soil.

Feb 02, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Spirit Restored to Health
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit is healthy again due to the recovery work of mission engineers.

Feb 02, 2004 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Roles onto Martian Ground
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity has driven onto the soil of Mars.

Jan 30, 2004 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Rover Begins Standing Up
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity has untucked its front wheels in preparation to move, and the recovering Spirit has sent another picture from Mars.

Jan 27, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Sees its First Water
(ESA) - Mars Express has identified the presence of both water ice and carbon dioxide ice on Mars' South polar cap.

Jan 26, 2004 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
From Robotic Geologists to Human Geologists on Mars
(NASA - JPL) - Scientists are using the Mars Exploration Rovers to determine the potential for future human mission to the Red Planet.

Jan 25, 2004 | MISSIONS
First Images of Opportunity Site Show Bizarre Landscape
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Opportunity rover returned the first pictures of its landing site early today.

Jan 23, 2004 | MISSIONS
Further Communication Planned with Spirit
(NASA - JPL) - Early this morning, the flight team for the Mars Exploration Rovers received data from the Spirit rover at Gusev Crater.

Jan 21, 2004 | MISSIONS
NASA Mars Rover's First Soil Analysis Yields Surprises
(NASA - JPL) - The first use of the tools on the arm of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit reveals puzzles about the soil it examined.

Jan 20, 2004 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Opportunity Mission Status
(NASA - JPL) - Opportunity prepares for its arrival at Mars.

Jan 15, 2004 | MISSIONS
Spirit Rolls onto Martian Soil
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit successfully drove off its lander platform and onto the soil of Mars early today.

Jan 15, 2004 | MISSIONS
Anniversary Party for Mars Odyssey
(NASA - JPL) - Last week, Mars Odyssey completed a full Mars year of science mapping.

Jan 14, 2004 | MISSIONS
Spirit Gets a Travel Itinerary
(NASA -JPL) - Spirit has rotated on its lander and is preparing to undertake its new mission itinerary.

Jan 12, 2004 | MISSIONS
Spirit Rover Nearly Ready to Roll
(NASA - JPL) - With its arm and all six wheels free, Spirit is nearly ready to begin exploring the Martian surface.

Jan 09, 2004 | SCIENCE
Bush to Seek Manned Flights to Moon, Mars
(CNN.com) - President Bush will discuss his 'vision for expanding the space program' next week.

Jan 08, 2004 | MISSIONS
No Signal from Beagle 2 So Far
(ESA) - Mars Express made its first attempt to contact the Beagle 2 lander with no success.

Jan 07, 2004 | MISSIONS
Most Detailed Picture of Mars Ever
(NASA -JPL) - Spirit has sent its first full-color picture of Mars.

Jan 05, 2004 | MISSIONS
Healthy Rover Shows Its New Neighborhood on Mars
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit has begun to examine its surroundings.

Jan 05, 2004 | MISSIONS
Spirit Lands on Mars and Sends Postcards
(NASA - JPL) - Spirit has returned the first images from its landing site inside the Gusev Crater on Mars.

Dec 31, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Orbit Change Successful
(ESA) - Mars Express has successfully entered into a polar orbit about Mars.

Dec 30, 2003 | MISSIONS
Destination: Gusev Crater
(NASA) - On January 3, NASA's Mars rover Spirit is scheduled to land in a strange crater that might be an ancient martian lake bed.

Dec 29, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Orbiting Precisely and Safely
(ESA) - Mars Express has safely entered into orbit around Mars.

Dec 20, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Releases Beagle 2
(ESA) - Mars Express has released the Beagle 2, which will land on Mars on December 25.

Dec 18, 2003 | SCIENCE
Mars May Be Emerging from an Ice Age
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey missions have provided evidence of a recent ice age on Mars.

Dec 09, 2003 | MISSIONS
Welcome Back to Mars
(ESA) - Rickard Lundin discusses instruments onboard Mars Express that will examine interactions between the solar wind and the Martian atmosphere.

Dec 04, 2003 | MISSIONS
Crucial Moments on the Way to Mars
(ESA) - As the landing date draws near, ESA's first Mars mission still has many challenges to overcome.

Dec 03, 2003 | TECHNOLOGIES
Membranes on Mars
(NASA) - Thin membranes developed by NASA-funded researchers could help people go to Mars--and clean the air here on Earth.

Dec 02, 2003 | MISSIONS
Spotlight: Challenges of Getting to Mars
(NASA - JPL) - As the landing for the Mars Exploration Rovers approaches, researchers at NASA discuss the difficulties of getting to Mars.

Nov 28, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Mission Status
(NASA - JPL) - During the recent period of heightened solar activity, the Martian Radiation Environment Experiment aboard NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter stopped working properly.

Nov 26, 2003 | MISSIONS
NASA Briefing to Preview Twin Rovers' Arrival at Mars
(NASA - ARC) - The arrival date of the Mars Exploration Rovers 'Spirit' and 'Opportunity' is quickly approaching.

Nov 19, 2003 | MISSIONS
Going to Mars for Christmas
(ESA) - ESA's Mars Express is on schedule to arrive at the Red Planet on Christmas Day.

Nov 18, 2003 | SCIENCE
Delta-Like Fan on Mars Suggests Ancient Rivers Were Persistent
(NASA - JPL) - A fan-shaped apron of debris on Mars may show that the planet once had long-lasting rivers.

Nov 13, 2003 | MISSIONS
ESA's First Step Towards Mars Sample Return
(ESA) - ESA has announced winners of competitive contracts for their Aurora program of Solar System exploration.

Nov 04, 2003 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Testing K9 Rover in Granite Quarry
(NASA - ARC) - NASA scientists and engineers are testing new technologies using the K9 rover in a granite quarry near Watsonville, Calif., in preparation for future missions to Mars.

Oct 01, 2003 | MISSIONS
Image Gallery from Mars Global Surveyor
(NASA) - Newly released images of Mars show how geological processes have shaped the planet's surface.

Aug 25, 2003 | TECHNOLOGIES
Harvesting Mars
(NASA) - A NASA-supported scientist is learning how to harvest rocket fuel and water from the Red Planet.

Aug 21, 2003 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
New Findings Could Dash Hopes for Past Oceans on Mars
(NASA/JPL) - Scientists have found the presence of water-related carbonate minerals on the surface of Mars.

Aug 11, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Exploration Rover Mission Status
(NASA - JPL) - The first in-flight checkouts of the science instruments aboard NASA’s twin Mars Exploration Rovers were recently completed.

Aug 08, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars 2007 'Phoenix' Will Study Water Near Mars' North Pole
(NASA - JPL) - NASA has announced the selection of the University of Arizona 'Phoenix' mission for launch in 2007.

Jul 28, 2003 | EDUCATION
Students and Teachers to Explore Mars
(NASA - JPL) - High school students are given the opportunity to work on research projects during the Mars Exploration Rover missions.

Jul 23, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Opportunity Mission Status
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Opportunity spacecraft has successfully completed its first trajectory correction maneuver.

Jul 18, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Bids Farewell to the Earth and the Moon
(ESA) - ESA receives one of the first data sets from Mars Express.

Jul 16, 2003 | SCIENCE
Mars Dust
(NASA) - At the beginning of July, a giant dust cloud began spreading over the surface of Mars.

Jul 09, 2003 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Launches
(NASA - KSC) - The Mars rover 'Opportunity' launched successfully on Monday, July 7.

Jul 07, 2003 | SCIENCE
NASA's Odyssey Orbiter Watches a Frosty Mars
(NASA) - Mars Odyssey is revealing new information about Mars' frozen north.

Jul 05, 2003 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Delayed Twenty-Four Hours
(NASA – KSC) - The launch of Opportunity has been rescheduled for July 7.

Jul 03, 2003 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Launch Delayed
(NASA - KSC) - The launch of Opportunity has been rescheduled for July 6.

Jul 01, 2003 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Delayed
(NASA - KSC) - The launch of the second Mars Exploration Rover has been postponed to no earlier than Saturday, July 5.

Jun 30, 2003 | MISSIONS
Opportunity Launch Delayed
(NASA) - The second Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, is now targeted for launch on Wednesday, July 2.

Jun 25, 2003 | MISSIONS
Approaching Mars
(NASA) - Earth and Mars are speeding toward their closest encounter in 60,000 years.

Jun 23, 2003 | MISSIONS
Launch of Delta II with 'Opportunity' Targeted for June 28
(NASA - KSC) - Launch of NASA's second Mars Exploration Rover is officially set for Saturday, June 28.

Jun 22, 2003 | MISSIONS
MER-B Delayed
(NASA - KSC) - The launch of NASA's second Mars Exploration Rover has been delayed at least two days.

Jun 19, 2003 | MISSIONS
MER-B Status Report
(NASA - KSC) - With the successful launch of 'Spirit', mission specialists now turn to NASA's second Mars Exploration Rover, 'Opportunity'.

Jun 10, 2003 | MISSIONS
NASA's 'Spirit' Rises on Its Way to Mars
(NASA - JPL) - The first of NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers began its journey to the Red Planet today.

Jun 09, 2003 | MISSIONS
Next Rover Launch Attempt Set for Tuesday
(NASA) - Weather has again caused a launch delay for the first Mars Exploration Rover.

Jun 08, 2003 | MISSIONS
Rover Launch Scrubbed Due to Weather
(NASA) - The launch of the first Mars Exploration Rover has been rescheduled for Monday, June 9.

Jun 06, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mission Briefing Held Prior to June 8 Launch of Mars Exploration Rover
(NASA - KSC) - The Science/Mission briefing for the Launch of MER-A was held today at KSC.

Jun 06, 2003 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Odyssey Thermal Data Reveals a Changing Mars
(Arizona State University) - A year's worth of data from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft reveals a dynamic planet that has experienced dramatic environmental change.

Jun 05, 2003 | MISSIONS
NASA Will Send Two Robotic Geologists to Roam on Mars
(NASA - JPL) - NASA's Mars Exploration Rover project kicks off by launching the first of two unique robotic geologists on June 8.

Jun 03, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Express En Route for the Red Planet
(ESA) - After a flawless June 2nd launch, Mars Express has been placed in a trajectory that will take it to Mars.

Jun 02, 2003 | MISSIONS
Europe's Mars Mission Lifts Off
(BBCNews) - The launch of Europe's Mars Express is a success.

Jun 02, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Mission Ready for Launch
(ESA) - Mars Express prepares to launch today at 1745 GMT.

May 30, 2003 | MISSIONS
MER-A Mars Exploration Rover Targeted for Launch June 8
(NASA - KSC) - The first of NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers will now launch on June 8.

May 29, 2003 | MISSIONS
Scientists Eager to Get On Board ExoMars
(ESA) - The European Space Agency begins reviewing proposals for new Mars mission.

May 28, 2003 | MISSIONS
Filling Up for the Long Journey
(ESA) - In its final pre-launch stages, Europe's Mars Express begins propellant loading.

May 28, 2003 | SCIENCE
Life Clues on Red Planet
(BBC News) - Researchers identify a potential place to search for life on Mars.

May 27, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Exploration Rover Spacecraft Undergo Biological Testing and Cleaning
(NASA - KSC) - NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spacecraft are cleaned before launch in accordance with NASA's planetary protection policy.

May 22, 2003 | TECHNOLOGIES
A New Way to Explore the Surface of Mars
(NASA) - Students from NC State are helping NASA explore the surface of Mars.

May 22, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Exploration Rover Status Report
(NASA - KSC) - The final preparations are now being made for the launch of NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers.

May 20, 2003 | MISSIONS
ESA Sets Ambitious Goals for the First European Mission to Mars
(ESA) - Researchers prepare for the launch of Europe's Mars Express.

May 08, 2003 | MISSIONS
In Gagarin's Footsteps
(BBCNews) - BBC News Online begins a weekly journal covering Europe's Mars Express mission.

May 06, 2003 | MISSIONS
ESA Sets the Date for Mars Express Launch
(ESA) - Mars Express readies for a June 2nd launch.

Apr 30, 2003 | MISSIONS, EDUCATION
Live Webcast Will Preview Mars Rover Adventure
(NASA - JPL) - A live, interactive broadcast on May 1st will preview NASA's Mars Exploration Rover mission.

Apr 21, 2003 | MISSIONS
Orbiter Camera Team Begins Daily Mars Picture Postings
(NASA - JPL) - NASA begins posting daily pictures of Martian landscapes online.

Apr 15, 2003 | TECHNOLOGIES
University at Buffalo Students to 'Explore Mars' in Utah
(NASA) - Doctoral students at the University of Buffalo help simulate a human mission to Mars.

Apr 14, 2003 | MISSIONS
NASA Rovers Slated to Examine Two Intriguing Sites on Mars
(NASA – JPL) - Landing sites have been chosen for NASA's twin Mars rovers.

Apr 08, 2003 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Prolific NASA Orbiter Adds Thousands of Photos to Mars Album
(NASA - JPL) - NASA posts 11,664 new pictures from the Mars Global Surveyor mission.

Mar 25, 2003 | MISSIONS
Europe Calls for Payload Proposals
(ESA) - The European Space Agency offers opportunities for scientists to help explore Mars.

Mar 18, 2003 | MISSIONS
Mars Express Prepares to Fly
(BBC News) - Scientists ready Mars Express for the launch pad.

Mar 14, 2003 | MISSIONS
NASA's Mars Odyssey Changes Views about Red Planet
(NASA JPL) - In a single year, NASA’s Mars Odyssey has redefined much of what we know about Mars.

Mar 11, 2003 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars Global Surveyor Unearths More Martian Secrets
(NASA JPL) - New information indicates that Mars has a liquid iron core similar to those of Earth and Venus.

Feb 26, 2003 | MISSIONS
NASA Starts Countdown to Mars Mission
(CNN.com) - The first launch date for NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers nears as researchers prepare to search for signs of life on the Red Planet.

Feb 25, 2003 | MISSIONS
Our Next Caller is…From Mars
(ESA) - Mars will be a busy place later this year when robotic missions from the USA, Europe and Japan all arrive at the Red Planet.

Feb 19, 2003 | SCIENCE
NASA's Mars Odyssey Points to Melting Snow as Cause of Gullies
(JPL) - The visible light camera aboard NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, along with images from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor, indicate that many eroded gullies on the Red Planet may have been caused by melting snow rather than underground springs or pressurized flows as was previously suggested.

Dec 12, 2002 | SCIENCE
Goldmine yields clues for life on Mars
(Nature) - Bacteria that live on radiation exist deep within the Earth—and maybe elsewhere.

Nov 21, 2002 | SCIENCE
Where on Earth is Mars?
(Astrobiology Magazine) - Scientists gather at the volcano Mt. Etna to discuss regions of Earth that resemble Mars

Nov 04, 2002 | SCIENCE
Hot Springs High in the Andes
(Astrobiology Magazine) - Two members of the Licancabur expedition describe pockets of rich microbial life in the harsh desert.

Oct 21, 2002 | SCIENCE
What's Living in the World's Highest Lake?
(Astrobiology Magazine) - Astrobiologists have begun an expedition to a pond at the tip of a volcano.

Oct 17, 2002 | SCIENCE
Looking for Carbonates in Dry Places
(Astrobiology Magazine) - A recent discovery may challenge the idea that carbonates could be a sign of past water on other planets.

Oct 04, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Space Medicine
(NASA) - In order for astronauts to safely travel to Mars and other planets, new technologies must be developed to dope with the ill effects of space.

Sep 18, 2002 | SCIENCE
Planet Building Volcanoes No Longer Rule, but They Still Rage
(Space.com) - Volcanoes play an important role in the processes of life.

Sep 10, 2002 | MISSIONS
No Drought of Mars Landing Sites
(Astrobiology Magazine) - Proposed landing sites for the Mars Exploration Rovers may yield evidence of liquid water on ancient Mars.

Sep 05, 2002 | MISSIONS
No Place for Life to Hide from Mars Express
(ESA) - ESA's first mission to Mars will also be the first in 26 years to search for life on the Red Planet.

Aug 29, 2002 | MISSIONS
No Bugs Please, This Is a Clean Planet!
(ESA) - ESA is making sure its robotic missions to bodies within our solar system are biologically ‘clean’.

Aug 23, 2002 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Rehearsal Readies Scientists for NASA's Next Mars Landing
(NASA) - Scientists have spent the last few weeks in the desert, rehearsing their roles for Mars Exploration Rover mission.

Aug 20, 2002 | SCIENCE
Microorganisms Grow at Low Pressures, Implying Possible Life on Mars
(Univ. of Arkansas) - Researchers have shown that microorganisms can grow at pressures similar to those found at the Martian surface.

Aug 15, 2002 | MISSIONS
Work Starts On Assembling Beagle 2
(Space Daily) - Assembly of the European Space Agency’s Beagle 2 lander has begun, and researchers hope it will be on the surface of Mars by late next year.

Aug 14, 2002 | SCIENCE
Continuing Search for Ancient Martian Life
(Astrobiology Magazine) - Researchers have published their latest evidence for ancient microbes in a meteorite from Mars.

Aug 09, 2002 | MISSIONS
A Robotic Return to the Moon
(Space.com) - The National Research Council has released a report proposing a robotic mission to the Moon's South Pole.

Jul 30, 2002 | MISSIONS
NASA's Mars 'Czar' Gives a Status Report on Red Planet Plans
(Space.com) - Orlando Figueroa discusses bringing back a piece of Mars and other long-term missions.

Jul 26, 2002 | MISSIONS
Green Light for Red Planet
(BBC) - The Mars Express space probe has been assembled and now awaits testing.

Jul 11, 2002 | SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGIES
Ice Cube of Exotic Microbes
(Astrobiology Magazine) - A pocket of permafrost deep beneath Antarctica offers a chance to test sterile drilling techniques before exploring elsewhere for exotic microbes.

Jul 11, 2002 | SCIENCE
Antarctic Microbes Colonize under Mars-like Conditions
(Astrobiology Magazine) - In Antarctica's Dry Valleys, microbes and fungi survive in extremely cold, arid soils.

Jun 27, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Defining Life
(Astrobiology Magazine) - A clear definition of life is necessary if we're to recognize it elsewhere in the universe.

Jun 26, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Large Former Lake, Catastrophic Flood Identified on Mars
(Spaceflight Now) - The lake once covered an area the size of Texas and New Mexico combined.

May 29, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Found it! Ice on Mars
(NASA) - Data from the Mars Odyssey orbiter reveal vast quantities of water ice in the Martian soil.

May 21, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Image: Hadriaca Patera
(ASU) - A recently released photo adds evidence that liquid water flowed over in Mars' ancient past.

May 20, 2002 | MISSIONS
Mars Global Surveyor Aging Gracefully
(NASA) - Mission controllers are keeping the spacecraft humming along by making fixes from millions of miles away.

May 20, 2002 | SCIENCE
Mars Meteorite's Link to Life Questioned
(Space.com) - A pair of scientists argue that magnetite crystals in a Mars meteorite weren't produced by microorganisms.

May 16, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Nightwatch on Mars
(Space.com) - Two orbiting spacecraft are photographing Mars at night, looking for the heat signature of hot springs that might support life.

May 10, 2002 | SCIENCE
Two More Martian Meteorites Found in Africa
(NASA) - The discovery brings the number of known chunks of Mars on Earth to 26.

May 08, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Study Urges Caution about Possible Dangerous Martian Life
(Space.com) - The National Research Council has outlined planetary protection measures for a human trip to Mars.

May 03, 2002 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Sending RATs to Mars
(NASA) - The Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) will drill for signs of water in Mars' distant past.

Apr 24, 2002 | MISSIONS
Mars Rover Landing Spots: Blowing In The Wind
(Space.com) - Scientists have discovered a new problem with some of the proposed landing sites for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers: strong winds.

Apr 11, 2002 | SCIENCE
Audio: Developments in Astrobiology
(KQED-FM) - In conjunction with the second Astrobiology Science Conference, astrobiologists describe developments in the field.

Apr 03, 2002 | SCIENCE
Hydrogen-Fed Bacteria May Exist beyond Earth
(NASA) - The rocky crusts of Earth and other planets may produce enough hydrogen to support plenty of hydrogen-eaters.

Apr 02, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
New Image of Nigral Vallis on Mars
(ASU) - A meandering valley shows signs it was eroded by water.

Mar 26, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Will the Real Mars Stand Up?
(Discovery) - Scientists debate whether Mars' surface was eroded by liquid water or by carbon dioxide.

Mar 25, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Why it Snows at Mars' North Pole
(Space.com) - A computer simulation may explain why more water ice collects at Mars' north pole than at its south pole.

Mar 21, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Ancient Martian Lakes? Perhaps Not
(Sky and Telescope) - A researcher argues that layers of rock of Mars were deposited not by water but by volcanoes.

Mar 20, 2002 | SCIENCE
No Knockouts in Martian Meteorite Showdown
(Sky and Telescope) - Two teams of scientists argue that magnetite crystals in a Mars meteorite are not necessarily evidence of life.

Mar 19, 2002 | MISSIONS
Radiation Instrument Goes back to Work
(NASA) - Engineers have fixed the malfunctioning Martian Radiation Environment experiment (MARIE) aboard the Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

Mar 18, 2002 | SCIENCE
A Pile of Gravel from Mars
(NASA) - Scientists have confirmed that a jumble of stones is what's left of a Martian meteorite.

Mar 15, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars Rover Landing Site Sweet Spots Not So Sweet
(Space.com) - Spacecraft orbiting Mars have revealed problems with proposed landing sites for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers.

Mar 04, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Vast Ice Fields Suggest Life on Mars Possible
(L.A. Times) - Scientists say they are 'blown away' by the Odyssey spacecraft's findings.

Feb 27, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Digital Data Puts Mars on Map
(BBC) - A new high-resolution atlas of Mars could help determine whether the planet is geologically active.

Feb 26, 2002 | SCIENCE
Alien Life More Likely to Be Found outside Solar System
(Spaceflight Now) - Astrobiologist Norman Pace believes Mars and Europa aren't very promising places for life.

Feb 25, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Mars Odyssey Begins Collecting Science Data
(NASA) - The first batch of data and images will be publicly released this week.

Feb 22, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars Floods May Be Recent
(Univ. of Arizona) - New images suggest that water may have flowed over Mars just 10 million years ago.

Feb 19, 2002 | SCIENCE
Bugs from Hell
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Miles below Earth's surface, a community of microbes thrives.

Feb 13, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Profile: David Wynn-Williams
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - In frozen Antarctica, an astrobiologist studies how to hunt for life on Mars.

Feb 12, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Mars Global Surveyor Begins Second Year of Extended Mission
(Malin Space Science Systems) - A new 3-D image from the probe shows layers perhaps deposited by wind or water.

Feb 11, 2002 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Ideas that Gel
(NASA) - Aerogel, the world's lightest solid, will catch pieces of a comet.

Feb 08, 2002 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Deploys Communications Antenna
(NASA) - The antenna will enable the spacecraft to transmit large amounts of scientific data back to Earth.

Feb 07, 2002 | SCIENCE
More Pieces of Mars Found
(Discovery) - Scientists have discovered five new Martian meteorites in recent weeks, bringing the number of known meteorites from Mars to 24.

Feb 06, 2002 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Four Sites Considered for Landers
(Florida Today) - Isidis Planitia has replaced Athabasca Vallis as one of the candidate landing sites for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers.

Jan 31, 2002 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Reaches Final Orbit
(NASA) - The spacecraft can soon begin making its scientific measurements in earnest.

Jan 23, 2002 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Mars Odyssey Completes Aerobraking Phase of Mission
(NASA) - The spacecraft has used friction from Mars' atmosphere to slow itself into a lower orbit.

Jan 11, 2002 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Ice Explorer Conceived for Other Worlds Gets Arctic Test
(NASA) - NASA has successfully field-tested a prototype of a robot that may one day melt through ice on Mars or Europa to look for life.

Jan 09, 2002 | SCIENCE
Radiation from Space May Affect Biological Evolution
(UT Austin) - Bursts of radiation from the Sun, from supernovae, or from deep space might wipe out life on other planets. Then again, they might speed up life's evolution.

Dec 28, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Ice Melter Could Find Europa's Warm Heart
(Space.com) - A future mission may melt through Europa's ice to look for life in the planet's hidden ocean.

Dec 26, 2001 | SCIENCE
The First Sulfur Eaters
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - In three-and-a-half-billion-year-old rocks, scientists have found indications of a type of bacteria that consumes sulfate—possibly one of the oldest known life forms on the planet.

Dec 21, 2001 | MISSIONS
If Santa Were a Martian
(NASA) - "If he were flying above the North Pole of Mars, my advice to Santa would be 'Hang tight onto your reins,'" said 2001 Mars Odyssey navigator John C. Smith. "You could be in for a rough ride."

Dec 19, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
All-Terrain Rovers May Scale Mars' Cliffs
(NASA) - The robots may search for signs of past or present life by exploring water seepage or exposed geologic layers

Dec 17, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
New Signs of Water on Mars Create Hope of Great Discovery
(Space.com) - The Mars Odyssey orbiter has found preliminary signs of water or water ice just below the planet's surface.

Dec 13, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Where to Land on Mars? It's Not an Easy Choice
(NASA) - Scientists have selected four candidate landing sites for the twin Mars Exploration Rovers.

Dec 12, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars Global Surveyor Sees Possible Climate Change
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Photos indicate that Mars' climate is changing even now.

Dec 11, 2001 | SCIENCE
Café Methane
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Scientists have found life thriving at methane seeps on the cold, dark ocean floor. Similar environments on other planets might also provide a home for life.

Dec 07, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Europe Heads for Mars
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - The Beagle 2, a compact, lightweight lander carried on the European Space Agency (ESA) Mars Express orbiter, will search for signs of life on the Red Planet.

Dec 05, 2001 | SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGIES
Debate Rages on over Evidence of Mars Life in Meteorite
(Spaceflight Now) - Scientists argue the significance of magnetic crystals found inside Martian meteorite ALH 84001.

Dec 03, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
New Evidence That Water Once Covered Mars
(AP) - Hydrogen gas in Mars' upper atmosphere suggests that large amounts of water once flowed over Mars.

Nov 15, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Selects Investigations for Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
(NASA) - The 10 science investigations include searching for water on Mars.

Nov 14, 2001 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Begins Main Phase of Aerobraking
(NASA) - The spacecraft's closest approach to the planet has been carefully lowered to 110 kilometers (68 miles) above the Martian surface.

Nov 09, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Spectacular View of Layers on Mars
(NASA) - A recent image of the Martian surface reveals layer upon layer of sediment, left either by wind or by liquid water.

Nov 02, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Why Microbes Matter
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - A key question facing astrobiology is whether life has arisen independently elsewhere in our universe.

Oct 31, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Mars Odyssey's First Look at Mars Is All Treat, No Trick
(NASA) - NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey has given mission managers a real treat this Halloween with its first look at the Red Planet.

Oct 30, 2001 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Bulldozer Rovers Could Get the Scoop on Mars
(NASA) - Tiny bulldozer rovers may some day dish up the dirt and pack it in on Mars.

Oct 29, 2001 | SCIENCE
New Mars Meteorite Found in Morocco
(NASA) - The discovery brings the total number of known meteorites from Mars to 19.

Oct 29, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Success of Mars Odyssey Satellite Puts Communications Link in Place for Upcoming Rover Mission
(Cornell Univ.) - In 2004, the Odyssey orbiter will send data collected by two surface rovers back to Earth.

Oct 24, 2001 | MISSIONS
Odyssey Arrives at Mars
(NASA) - The 2001Mars Odyssey spacecraft has successfully entered orbit around the Red Planet.

Oct 23, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Mars within Neutron Spectrometer's Reach
(Los Alamos National Laboratory) - A neutron spectrometer designed to look for water is closing in on Mars aboard NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey.

Oct 19, 2001 | MISSIONS
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey Spacecraft Poised to Arrive at Mars
(NASA) - On Tuesday, October 23, the spacecraft reaches the critical moment of its mission as it enters orbit around Mars.

Oct 10, 2001 | SCIENCE
Bacteria with a 'Nose' for Water
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Researchers have discovered that bacterial communities in extreme environments are able to follow water.

Oct 09, 2001 | MISSIONS
Lockheed Selected to Build Mars Orbiter
(NASA) - NASA has recently selected Lockheed Martin to build the Mars Reconaissance Orbiter, scheduled for launch in August of 2005.

Oct 03, 2001 | SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGIES
Surviving the Stress of Extreme Environments
(European Space Agency) - At a recent conference in Toulouse, France, researchers discussed the ways in which stress may affect future missions beyond Earth orbit.

Sep 18, 2001 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Fine-Tunes Its Path
(NASA/JPL) - NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft performed its third trajectory correction maneuver Sunday night to fine-tune its flight path for arrival at Mars next month.

Sep 10, 2001 | SCIENCE
Space Station Astronauts: Trip to Mars is Doable
(CNN) - The recently returned crew of the International Space Station believe humans would be able to adapt to Martian conditions despite the ill effects of spending months in microgravity.

Sep 05, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Makes Data from Mars Life Experiments Available to Scientists
(Washington Post) - Twenty-five years after the Viking mission tested for evidence of life on Mars, NASA has made the data available for reexamination by the scientific community.

Aug 29, 2001 | SCIENCE
From Mars to Earth in a Meteorite?
(Scientific American) - A study suggests that the interior of a meteorite from Mars remained cool enough to transport life to Earth.

Aug 28, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Future Missions to Identify Underground Water on Mars
(ESA) - The European Space Agency's Mars Express mission, scheduled to fly in 2003, will use radar to search for water below the surface of Mars.

Aug 24, 2001 | TECHNOLOGIES
Having a Ball on Mars
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - A two-story high beach ball, powered only by the wind, may one day explore vast stretches of the Red Planet.

Aug 23, 2001 | SCIENCE
Advances in Our Understanding of Life
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Excerpts from testimony by astrobiologist Jack Farmer to the House Subcommiteee on Space and Aeronautics.

Aug 22, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars Enigma: One Scientist's Contentious Theory about Planet May Hold Water
(San Francisco Chronicle) - A geoscientist argues that erosion features on Mars were carved not by water but by liquid carbon dioxide.

Aug 21, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Mars Odyssey Mission Status
(NASA) - While the spacecraft is in overall good health. flight controllers have turned off the Martian Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE) after the instrument did not respond.

Aug 21, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Mars Airplane Prototype Completes Test Flight
(NASA) - A test version of an airplane that someday may fly over Mars successfully completed a high-altitude flight.

Aug 20, 2001 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Solar-Powered Plane Breaks Altitude Records
(USA Today) - NASA’s Helios aircraft, designed to fly for periods of up to three months, may provide a new means of studying the Earth’s environment and exploring Mars.

Aug 17, 2001 | SCIENCE
Life on Ice
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Psychrophiles, organisms that are able to survive in extremely low temperatures, may serve as analogues for possible life on other planets.

Aug 14, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars Watering Hole Found, Scientists Say
(Space.com) - Researchers claim to have found evidence of underground water on Mars.

Aug 07, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Scientists Find Largest Flood Channels in the Solar System
(University of Arizona) - Catastrophic flooding in Mars' past may have formed the northwestern slope valleys (NSVs).

Aug 06, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Astronauts' Bodies Suffer Without Gravity
(NASA) - The absence of gravity in space can cause serious problems for astronauts, including muscle and bone loss, when they return to the Earth’s surface.

Aug 03, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars Orbiter Finds Traces of Past Ice Age
(AP) - Images taken by NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor indicate evidence of a Martian ice age 100,000 years ago.

Aug 01, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Looking for Life at the Poles of Mars
(Space.com) - While most liquid water on Mars may lie deep underground, life might exist close to the surface of the polar ice caps.

Aug 01, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Waste Not, Want Not on the Road to Mars
(ESA) - An artificial ecosystem prepares to undergo its first tests.

Jul 31, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Is the Signature of life on Mars Present in Decades-old Data?
(University of Southern California) - A scientist claims that results from 25 years ago show evidence of life in a scoopful of Martian soil.

Jul 30, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Happy Anniversary, Viking Lander
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - On July 20, 1976, NASA's Viking 1 lander touched down safely on the surface of Mars, revealing an alien world that continues to puzzle scientists and tempt explorers.

Jul 30, 2001 | SCIENCE
Watch Global Warming Happen in Real Time... on Mars
(Spaceflight Now) - NASA's Mars Global Surveyor has detected rapid and drastic changes in the atmospheric temperature of Mars.

Jul 26, 2001 | SCIENCE
Mars: Dead or Alive?
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Recent research on the planet has convinced some scientists that Mars may still be geologically active.

Jul 20, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Twenty-Five Years after Viking, Mars Life Debate Continues
(CNN) - On the anniversary of the first Viking landing on Mars, scientists disagree over what Viking found when it scooped up Martian soil.

Jul 19, 2001 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Reaches Halfway Point
(NASA) - The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Mars in October.

Jul 18, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
New Wheels Developed for Mars
(Florida Today) - Creative wheel designs are required to get around the planet's difficult terrain.

Jul 18, 2001 | MISSIONS
Dust Storm Rages on Mars
(CNN) - NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor has spotted a large dust storm on Mars, and researchers expect that the storm will continue to grow.

Jul 17, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Zooming in on Mars
(Space.com) - Set for launch in 2005, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) will be essential to selecting landing sites for future missions.

Jul 11, 2001 | SCIENCE
How Small Can Life Be?
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - As advanced microscopes enable us to peer deeper into the realms of inner space, biologists have been faced with a vexing question: Is there a size limit on life?

Jul 09, 2001 | MISSIONS
First Crew of Simulated Mars Base Settles In
(The Mars Society) - A simulated Mars base is now open for business.

Jul 03, 2001 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Fine-tunes Flight Path
(NASA) - The spacecraft is scheduled to enter orbit around Mars in October.

Jun 28, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Simulating a Martian Colony in the Arctic
(Space.com) - A prototype Mars base will permit a full-dress rehearsal for a human trip to Mars

Jun 27, 2001 | TECHNOLOGIES
New Solar-Powered Hyperion Robot Stays in Sync with the Sun
(NASA) - A robotic explorer is designed to follow the Sun in a whole new way.

Jun 27, 2001 | SCIENCE
Detecting Dust Devils on Mars
(NASA) - Dr. Ken Edgett, of Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, California discusses dust devils on Mars; vortexes of spinning air that paint pictures in the fine soil of the planet’s surface.

Jun 26, 2001 | TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Readies Solar-Powered, High-Altitude Plane
(Space.com) - The plane will give scientists a first inkling of what flight would be like on Mars.

Jun 19, 2001 | SCIENCE
Mars Meteorite Discovered in Oman Desert
(CNN) - The meteorite, known as SAU 094, could help determine if life ever existed on Mars.

Jun 19, 2001 | SCIENCE
Martian Meteorite May Contain Water
(BBC) - Scientists debate whether meteorite NWA 817 was exposed to water on Mars or after it fell to Earth

Jun 18, 2001 | TECHNOLOGIES
A Pregnancy Test for Mars
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - The same antibody technology used in home pregnancy tests may one day search for find signs of past or present life on Mars.

Jun 14, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
NASA Selects Mars Scout Concepts for Further Study
(NASA) - The mission concepts include gliders, satellites flying in formation, and sample return.

Jun 13, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Swept Away: Evidence of Erosion on Mars
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Flowing water may have eroded a broad swath of the surface of Mars roughly 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago.

Jun 11, 2001 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey on Track and 'Working Very, Very Well'
(Space.com) - The spacecraft is roughly one-third of the way to Mars.

Jun 05, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Jellyplants on Mars
(Science@NASA) - Scientists are creating a new breed of glowing plants —part mustard and part jellyfish—to help humans explore Mars.

May 23, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Canadian University Works to Sustain Life in Deep Space
(Space.com) - A new laboratory will help researchers design renewable life support systems for long-duration space missions.

May 15, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Human Travel to Mars May Happen Sooner Than Expected, Scientists Say
(National Georaphic) - Researchers are considering the feasibility of a human mission to Mars.

May 14, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Remote Devon Island Is Site of Mars Research
(Space.com/Florida Today) - Researchers will spend the summer living in a simulated Mars base.

May 08, 2001 | MISSIONS
Humans to Mars in 20 Years or Less, NASA Chief Says
(Space.com/Reuters) - According to NASA administrator Daniel Goldin, research conducted aboard the International Space Station will help make travel to Mars possible.

May 02, 2001 | MISSIONS
Space Weather on Mars
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Future human explorers of Mars can leave their umbrellas back on Earth, but perhaps they shouldn't forget their Geiger counters! A NASA experiment en route to the Red Planet aims to find out.

Apr 30, 2001 | SCIENCE
Does the Famous Martian Meteorite Really Point to Life?
(NASA/Space.com) - Debate continues over whether Martian meteorite ALH84001 contains evidence of ancient life on Mars.

Apr 24, 2001 | MISSIONS
First picture from Mars Odyssey
(NASA) - As it speeds toward Mars, the spacecraft snapped a shot of a faint crescent Earth.

Apr 18, 2001 | MISSIONS
Roses for the Red Planet
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Scientists discuss the importance and the possible risks of seeding the Red Planet with life.

Apr 16, 2001 | MISSIONS
Contracts awarded for initial Mars sample return studies
(NASA) - A mission to bring Martian soil back to Earth could launch as early as 2011.

Apr 13, 2001 | MISSIONS
Mars Odyssey Skips First Course Correction
(NASA) - Due to a favorable launch trajectory, flight controllers for Mars Odyssey have decided that they can postpone the first adjustment to the spacecraft's flight path.

Apr 09, 2001 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Life's chemical fingerprints
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Using a technique called Raman spectroscopy, researchers are developing instruments that may one day search for life on Mars, Europa, or Callisto.

Apr 09, 2001 | MISSIONS
2001 Mars Odyssey en route to Red Planet
(NASA) - Two days into its long trip, the mission continues to go well.

Mar 28, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
The Lure of Hematite
(Science@NASA) - On rusty-red Mars, a curious deposit of gray-colored hematite (a mineral cousin of common household rust) could hold the key to the mystery of elusive Martian water.

Mar 27, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars or Europa: Where does life exist?
(Space.com) - Leading experts discuss where and how best to conduct the hunt for life elsewhere in our solar system.

Mar 26, 2001 | MISSIONS
NASA and NIMA begin joint review of Mars Polar Lander search
(NASA) - The two agencies will examine the results of the search for the missing spacecraft.

Mar 19, 2001 | MISSIONS
2001 Mars Odyssey to find out what Mars is made of
(NASA) - NASA's next mission to Mars is set to launch on April 7.

Mar 16, 2001 | TECHNOLOGIES
Ice probe reveals images deep within Antarctic ice
(NASA) - The technology may one day be used to explore other planets.

Mar 14, 2001 | SCIENCE
Looking for Signs of Life in Acid-Washed Rocks
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Extraordinary clues to the history of biological evolution on Earth often come from something as mundane as rocks. To better understand the close connection between life and geology -- and how one affects the other -- new laboratory methods are being developed to tease out the information that ancient rocks contain.

Mar 12, 2001 | SCIENCE
Mars' Volcanoes May Have Melted Ice, Producing Water Necessary for Life on Red Planet
(University at Buffalo) - The heat and energy from the volcanoes together with the liquid water may have made conditions ideal for the evolution of life.

Mar 02, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Two Rovers in Search of a Landing Site
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - In 2003, NASA will send two rovers to Mars to search for signs of water in the planet's ancient past. But where exactly on Mars should they look for it?

Feb 26, 2001 | SCIENCE
New evidence of ancient life on Mars
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - New evidence from a Martian meteorite strengthens the case that microorganisms once existed on Mars.

Feb 21, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, EDUCATION
Students uncover baffling Martian boulders
(NASA) - A group of students working with a NASA spacecraft camera have stumbled upon a surprising cluster of dark boulders in the middle of light-colored terrain.

Feb 16, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Probe finds sedimentary rock in unlikely place on Mars
(Spaceflight Now/NASA) - New photos of the Martian surface reveal sedimentary layers at higher latitudes than expected.

Feb 14, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Carbonated Mars
(NASA) - Here on Earth the only way to make carbonate rocks is with the aid of liquid water. Finding such rocks on Mars might prove, once and for all, that the barren Red Planet was once warm and wet.

Jan 31, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
The solar wind at Mars
(Science@NASA) - The solar wind has slowly eroded the Martian atmosphere for billions of years -- transforming the planet into a barren desert.

Jan 30, 2001 | SCIENCE
Clues to sources of Martian water
(NY Times [registration required]) - Evidence from a Martian meteorite suggests that water on the surface of ancient Mars originally came from within the planet.

Jan 26, 2001 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Mars ocean hypothesis hits the shore
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Photographs of the Martian surface find no sign of a sea cliff along a possible ancient shoreline.

Jan 23, 2001 | SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGIES
The greening of the Red Planet
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - A hardy microbe from Earth may one day transform the barren ground of Mars into arable soil.

Jan 22, 2001 | SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGIES
Thawing Mars
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Greenhouse gases might one day be used to warm the cold surface of Mars, and make the planet habitable for humans.

Dec 22, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Scientists to begin selecting landing sites for Mars rovers
(Space.com) - The two rovers will search for evidence of liquid water in Mars' ancient past.

Dec 20, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Beagle 2 landing site on Mars selected
(ESA) - The region appears to be a sedimentary basin where traces of life could have been preserved.

Dec 13, 2000 | SCIENCE
New report offers evidence of primitive life on Mars
(NASA) - Tiny magnetite crystals, identical to those used by bacteria on Earth, have been found in the Martian meteorite ALH84001.

Dec 11, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
The case of the missing water
(NASA Astrobiology Institute) - Images from the Mars Global Surveyor may point to ancient floods and an ocean on Mars.

Dec 04, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Evidence of ancient lakes on Mars
(NASA) - If life once existed on Mars, sedimentary layers in the lake beds might be the place to look for fossils.

Nov 20, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, EDUCATION
New Mars research facility to involve scientists, college students, teachers, kids
(NASA) - The facility will permit scientists, teachers, college students and even grade-school kids to participate in the exploration of another planet.

Nov 20, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
More evidence found suggesting water on Mars
(Spaceflight Now/NASA) - Photos from the Mars Global Surveyor reveal gullies possibly carved by flowing water.

Nov 07, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Group fears Mars sample return might contaminate Earth
(CNN) - Planetary protection is one of astrobiology's primary objectives.

Nov 01, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Sharper, clearer 3D map of Mars
(NASA) - The map, released last year, reveals evidence of water on ancient Mars. An update adds crisp detail.

Oct 30, 2000 | SCIENCE
The new case for panspermia
(Space.com) - The theory that microscopic life can spread from planet to planet is hotly contested. This feature article reviews the history of that debate.

Oct 26, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
NASA outlines Mars exploration program for next two decades
(NASA) - Missions will include advanced robotic rovers and the return to Earth of samples of Martian soil.

Oct 23, 2000 | MISSIONS
France to join U.S. in Mars exploration mission
(Space.com) - The Mars 2003 Rover mission may be launched aboard the European Arianne 5 rocket.

Oct 18, 2000 | SCIENCE
Bacteria brought back to life after 250 million years
(BBC) - Microbes dormant for 250 million years have been revived. The findings may have implications for the search for life on Mars and for the origin of life on Earth.

Oct 02, 2000 | SCIENCE
First salt-loving bug sequenced
(BBC) - Scientists have cracked the genetic code of a microbe that thrives in extremely salty water. The findings could help astrobiologists determine the limits that life can endure.

Sep 14, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
How deep to dig for life on Mars?
(NASA) - NASA researchers have simulated chemical processes in the Martian soil. Their findings will help determine how deep to dig to look for life on Mars.

Sep 12, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Dust Storms on Earth and Mars
(NASA) - NASA images compare a recent dust storm on Mars with one that occurred earlier this year on Earth

Sep 04, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Balloons may explore Mars
(space.com) - A new technology may lead to dozens of balloons drifting over the Martian surface.

Aug 31, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Life thrives at edge of glaciers
(space.com) - The findings indicate that polar ice caps of Mars may be a prime location to look for life.

Aug 28, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Mars Express mission taking shape
(Spaceflight Now/ESA) - Construction and testing of the European space probe is underway.

Aug 21, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Liquid water on the surface of Mars?
(space.com) - A group of scientists disputes the consensus that liquid water can't exist on the Martian surface.

Aug 19, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Cosmic clouds yield puzzling concentrations of water
(Spaceflight Now/NASA) - Data from the SWAS satellite reveals that water vapor may be highly concentrated in regions where stars and planets form. SWAS has also measured water vapor in the atmospheres of Mars and Jupiter.

Aug 17, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Microscope to search for life on Mars
(space.com) - The microscope will be carried aboard the British Beagle 2 lander, set to land in 2003.

Aug 16, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, EDUCATION
Making Mars bricks
(space.com) - A college student is developing a method for Mars astronauts to build radiation-proof structures from the soil around them.

Aug 14, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Researchers learn from simulated Mars base
(space.com) - The Mars Arctic Research Station is providing insights into how to design human missions to Mars.

Aug 13, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Testing a spacesuit for Mars
(space.com) - In a Mars-like region of the Arctic, researchers are attempting to conduct their geological research while wearing a prototype spacesuit.

Aug 12, 2000 | SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGIES
Going to the Arctic to look for life on Mars
(space.com) - In the Canadian Arctic, a researcher with the Haughton-Mars expedition is testing technologies that may one day search for DNA on Mars.

Aug 10, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
NASA plans to send twin rovers to Mars in 2003
(Spaceflight Now/NASA) - The two rovers will study the history of water on Mars and search for evidence of life.

Jun 22, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Evidence of liquid water on Mars
(NASA) - Images show signs of water seeping from an underground aquifer. Where there is liquid water, there might be life.

Jun 05, 2000 | SCIENCE
New Martian meteorites found
(space.com) - Researchers have identified five more rocks from Mars.

May 17, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, EDUCATION
Students control a prototype Mars rover
(Science@NASA) - Students from around the country will take control of a prototype Mars rover named FIDO as it explores a Nevada desert.

May 11, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Robotic missions to explore the solar system
(space.com) - Robots may bring back samples from the Moon and the asteroid belt, and may look for life on Europa. Robotic helicopters could explore Mars and Titan.

May 04, 2000 | TECHNOLOGIES
"Snakebots" in development at NASA
(space.com) - Serpent-like robots may one day wriggle through Martian crevices, looking for life.

May 03, 2000 | SCIENCE, EDUCATION
Astronauts hunt microbes and meteorites at the South Pole
(Science@NASA) - Astrobiologists and astronauts -- including Jim Lovell of Apollo 13 -- traveled to Antarctica in January to study microbial life there. Their findings will shed light on whether life may exist on frozen bodies such as Mars and Europa.

May 02, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Have we missed signs of life on Mars?
(Spaceflight Now) - The Viking landers may have overlooked traces of life on Mars because they were searching for the wrong chemicals.

Apr 27, 2000 | MISSIONS
Life detection technology gets room to grow
(space.com) - The postponement of missions to Mars gives scientists more time to hone technologies for searching for life.

Apr 27, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Frosty view of Mars seen in new Global Surveyor images
(NASA) - New images from the Mars Global Surveyor reveal seasonal changes on the Red Planet. Ice recedes from the south pole, while frost encrusts on a crater in the north.

Apr 17, 2000 | MISSIONS
Mars Express on target and forging links with Japan
(ESA) - Work on the mission to Mars is proceeding on schedule.

Apr 10, 2000 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
New Global Surveyor images reveal exotic Martian landscape
(NASA) - Two new photo mosaics may help determine the composition of the southern polar caps of Mars.

Mar 30, 2000 | MISSIONS
Administrator urges NASA: Keep daring to dream
(NASA) - Administrator Daniel S. Goldin encouraged NASA employees to continue to "press the boundaries" of exploration.

Mar 20, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Device to extract oxygen from Martian atmosphere
(CNN) - Astronauts may one day make their own oxygen on Mars.

Mar 01, 2000 | SCIENCE
Sulfur in meteorites offers no evidence of Mars life
(SpaceViews) - Scientists claim that that sulfur concentrations found in Martian meteorites are the result of atmospheric processes and not of life on Mars. Sulfur concentrations may not be an effective biomarker.

Feb 16, 2000 | MISSIONS
Signal probably from Earth, not from Mars Polar Lander
(NASA) - Scientists now believe that a signal picked up last month probably came from a terrestrial source, not from the Mars Polar Lander.

Jan 27, 2000 | EDUCATION
High school students wanted to plan life and work on Mars
(NASA) - High school students, some of whom may live on Mars one day, have a chance to plan what living and working conditions will be on the Red Planet. The Second Annual NASA JSC Mars Settlement Design Competition takes place February 11-13.

Jan 18, 2000 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Robot to hunt for meteorites
(NY Times [free regis. req'd]) - Nomad, a four-wheeled rover, will use artificial intelligence to identify meteorites in Antarctica.

Jan 13, 2000 | SCIENCE
Panspermia theoretically possible, say scientists
(Yahoo!/AP) - A team of scientists has concluded that single-celled organisms from Mars could theoretically have seeded the Earth with life, or vice versa.

Jan 10, 2000 | TECHNOLOGIES
Amphibious monster rover for Mars and beyond
(space.com) - A future Mars rover may roll past obstacles on beachball-like tires.

Dec 17, 1999 | TECHNOLOGIES
Balloon flight will help scientists understand how to shield Mars crews
(Science@NASA) - A 10-day balloon flight this month will carry aloft two small cosmic ray detectors. Their findings will help protect future astronauts from radiation in deep space and on Mars.

Dec 14, 1999 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Radiation-resistant microbe could play major role in Martian exploration
(Science@NASA) - The microbe can help scientists determine the best locations to seek life on Mars. Later, it may help keep astronauts healthy. Finally, it may reshape Mars for colonists.

Dec 13, 1999 | SCIENCE
Antarctic discovery supports possibility of life on Europa
(SpaceViews) - Scientists have found bacteria living in a lake three kilometers below the surface of Antarctica. The finding may shed light on whether life could exist on Jupiter's moon Europa.

Dec 11, 1999 | MISSIONS
NASA chief refuses to rule out Mars 2001 lander
(SpaceViews) - Despite the recent loss of the Mars Polar Lander, NASA Administrator Dan Goldin would not rule out a mission to land on Mars in 2001.

Dec 10, 1999 | SCIENCE
Researchers suspect Mars had ocean
(Yahoo!/AP) - Scientists say they have found geologic features on Mars that resemble an ancient coastline.

Dec 09, 1999 | MISSIONS
Clinton defends NASA after Mars Polar Lander loss
(SpaceViews) - The President asserted the importance of space exploration, adding, "I don't think we should quit now."

Dec 07, 1999 | MISSIONS
Hopes fade for Mars spacecraft
(NASA) - Mission controllers for NASA's Mars Polar Lander acknowledge that they hold out very little hope of communicating with the spacecraft.

Dec 06, 1999 | MISSIONS
Efforts to contact Mars Polar Lander continue
(NASA) - Another attempt to reestablish communications with the spacecraft is set for shortly after midnight on December 7.

Dec 06, 1999 | MISSIONS
Web chat: NASA experts answer your questions about the Mars Polar Lander
(NASA) - Join in an asynchronous chat with experts and scientists from now through December 17. Brief answers to questions will be provided.

Dec 02, 1999 | EDUCATION
Thursday's Classroom visits the Red Planet
(Science@NASA) - To coincide with Friday's landing of the Mars Polar Lander, this week's episode of Thursday's Classroom features lessons and activities about the Red Planet, its climate, martian water, and the hunt for microscopic fossils. Lesson Plans include a humorous science fiction story about the Mars Microprobes, "South Pole Mars Bars" (a comparison of temperatures at the south poles of Mars and Earth), Martian Math, and much more.

Nov 30, 1999 | TECHNOLOGIES
Using planet's atmosphere to conserve spacecraft fuel
(UniSci) - The Mars Global Surveyor mission used aerodynamic drag to slow into its initial orbit. Future spacecraft could use this type of aerobraking to shift from one orbit to another as needed.

Nov 30, 1999 | MISSIONS
NASA rejects Mars Airplane in favor of Mars communication satellite
(SpaceViews) - As its first low-cost Mars Micromission, NASA has selected a satellite to improve transmissions between other Mars spacecraft and Earth. The decision will delay or cancel the Mars Airplane mission.

Nov 30, 1999 | MISSIONS
Mars Polar Lander nears arrival
(NASA) - NASA returns to the surface of Mars on December 3 with a spacecraft that will land near the edge of Mars' frigid south polar cap.

Nov 12, 1999 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Revised instruments announced for Mars Express
(SpaceViews) - The European Space agency (ESA) will upgrade instruments on the Mars Express mission to help fill the gap left by the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter.

Nov 03, 1999 | MISSIONS
Probe sees Martian solar eclipses
(Astronomy Now) - The Mars Global Surveyor has captured the shadow of the moon Phobos as it moves along the surface of the Red Planet.

Oct 30, 1999 | MISSIONS
Mars Polar Lander completes maneuver
(SpaceViews) - NASA's Mars Polar Lander spacecraft successfully adjusted its trajectory, keeping it on target for landing in just over a month.

Oct 19, 1999 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Selecting a landing site for Mars 2001 mission
(SpaceDaily) - The site, a basin that may have been covered by water long ago, is a promising place to look for sedimentary rocks that might contain microfossils.

Oct 13, 1999 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Balloons may explore the solar system and the universe
(Scientific American) - New balloon technologies may be employed in planetary probes and space telescopes.

Oct 01, 1999 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
New Mars images: no evidence of ancient shorelines
(NASA) - According to a team of researchers, new photos show no sign of past oceans on Mars.

Oct 01, 1999 | SCIENCE
Dating of meteorite mineral leaves Mars-life hypothesis alive
(space.com) - A team of NASA scientists has previously claimed that a meteorite from Mars holds fossils of microbes. Analysis now reveals that the chunk of Mars' surface was blown into space at a time when the planet may have been warm, wet, and more hospitable to life.

Sep 19, 1999 | SCIENCE
Water: an astrobiologist's pointing dog
(space.com) - Scientists generally believe that the limitations of the laws of chemistry mean that liquid water is necessary for life.

Sep 17, 1999 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Spacecraft search for solar system's oases
(space.com) - A variety of missions are planned to search for water elsewhere in the solar system. Liquid water is believed to be necessary for life.

Sep 10, 1999 | SCIENCE
Like Mars, Earth's oceans may dry up as water seeps into cracks
(New Scientist) - According to scientists in Japan, our planet could be as dry and barren as Mars within a billion years.

Sep 02, 1999 | SCIENCE
Mound on Mars may have been built by microbes
(New Scientist) - Researchers in Turkey and Scotland say that a huge rock within a Martian crater strongly resembles a stromatolite, a mound of minerals created by single-celled organisms called cyanobacteria.

Aug 31, 1999 | MISSIONS, EDUCATION
Cadets offer to launch Mars Society's payload
(space.com) - As their senior project, US Air Force cadets are attempting to send a rocket into Earth orbit. They have offered its payload space to launch and test equipment for future Mars missions.

Aug 26, 1999 | EDUCATION
NASA educational web site heads for the Red Planet
(Science@NASA) - Lesson plans and activities include Martian Math, a humorous science fiction writing exercise, Postcards from Mars, and much more.

Aug 25, 1999 | MISSIONS
NASA announces next Mars landing site
(NASA) - The Mars Polar Lander will study the planet's climate history, and look for evidence of water there.

Aug 24, 1999 | MISSIONS, TECHNOLOGIES
Hunt for life on Mars gets rehearsal in Egyptian Desert
(Houston Chronicle/AFP) - Radar for searching for life on Mars will be tested in Egypt. The technologies will be used aboard the Mars Express mission.

Aug 21, 1999 | EDUCATION
Astrobiology within her grasp
(L.A. Times) - Discouraged from studying science because she was female, a NASA geologist now develops technologies to look for life on Mars.

Aug 20, 1999 | SCIENCE
Amino acids in Martian meteorite may be terrestrial contamination
(SpaceViews) - The findings call into question evidence of life found in another Mars meteorite.

Jul 27, 1999 | SCIENCE
Astrobiologists to hunt for microbes in Siberia
(Science@NASA) - Cryophiles are single-celled organisms that thrive in cold conditions. They may hold clues to whether life could exist on other worlds, and to how to find it.

Jul 20, 1999 | SCIENCE, MISSIONS
Scientists debate implications of Mars pictures
(CNN) - At the Fifth International Conference on Mars, researchers differed over what the photos from Mars Global Surveyor tell us. They discussed the evidence of water and the possibility of life on past and present Mars.

Jul 04, 1999 | MISSIONS
New Hubble Mars images mark Pathfinder anniversary
(SpaceViews) - The fluctuations of the Martian climate are revealed in the new photographs.

Jul 01, 1999 | MISSIONS
New Hubble images of Mars
(Science@NASA) - The images reveal Mars' dynamic, fluctuating climate.