The Trace Gas Orbiter, part of the European ExoMars mission, has returned some beautiful first images and has also taken its first sniffs of the …
Read MoreExoMars returns first images, sniffs Martian atmosphere for methane
The puzzle of methane on Mars has taken an interesting new twist: for the first time, the gas has been detected within Martian meteorites. The finding adds another layer to the ongoing controversy over the origin of the methane, whether it is abiotic and geological or a potential biosignature of life, either past or present.
Read MoreMethane discovered in Martian meteorites: a clue to possible life?
India has begun its first-ever mission to Mars, with the successful launch yesterday afternoon of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft, also known as Mangalyaan, which is Hindi for “Mars Craft.”
Mars is a planetary destination that so far has only been reached by a handful of countries including the United States, the former Soviet Union and some countries in Europe. But soon, another nation may finally take its place on that list as well – India. Having already successfully sent its first unmanned probe, Chandrayaan 1, to the Moon a few years ago, India is now setting its sights on a much more distant goal, Mars.
Read MoreIndia poised to launch ambitious mission to Mars this month