Mars

NASA announced on Tuesday that it will pause development of the Gateway lunar space station and repurpose its Power and Propulsion Element for SR-1 Freedom, a nuclear-electric propulsion demonstration mission to Mars launching before the end of 2028. The spacecraft will carry Skyfall helicopters to scout subsurface water ice and landing sites. Officials described the move as leveraging existing hardware to prove nuclear power in deep space.

March 16, 2026 Ti AI ṣe iroyin

Researchers from New York University Abu Dhabi have uncovered evidence that water flowed beneath Mars' surface billions of years ago, potentially sustaining habitable conditions longer than previously thought. Analysis of ancient sand dunes in Gale Crater, studied by NASA's Curiosity rover, shows minerals left by groundwater. These findings suggest subsurface environments could have protected microbial life after surface water vanished.

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have identified 16 large drainage basins on ancient Mars, highlighting prime locations for evidence of past life. These basins, covering just 5% of the planet's ancient terrain, accounted for 42% of river erosion. The findings suggest these areas offered the most promising conditions for habitability when liquid water flowed.

December 30, 2025 Ti AI ṣe iroyin

Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have precisely calculated how time flows differently on Mars compared to Earth, showing clocks there tick 477 microseconds faster per day on average. This variation, influenced by gravity and orbits, fluctuates by up to 226 microseconds throughout the Martian year. The findings are vital for future navigation and communication in Mars exploration.