Planets and Moons  ID: 11600

Countdown To Mars

Story by Kayvon Sharghi Released on September 2, 2014
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NASA's MAVEN spacecraft is due to arrive at the Red Planet later this month.
How did Mars’ climate change? How has the atmosphere been lost—and how quickly are gases escaping now? These are the questions that NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft will explore when it reaches the planet on September 21, 2014. Scientists believe Mars once had a thicker atmosphere that may have been gradually lost to space. The change would have had a considerable impact on the planet’s climate, liquid water and habitability, ultimately shaping the world we see today. Using a suite of instruments aboard the spacecraft, researchers will probe Mars’ upper atmosphere from orbit to study the processes that led to the thinning of its atmosphere over billions of years. Watch the video to learn more.
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Scientist Bruce Jakosky provides an overview of the MAVEN mission in this video.
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Earlier in its 4.5 billion year history, Mars is thought to have had a significant atmosphere.
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As Mars lost its atmosphere over time, it slowly transformed from a warm and wet environment to a much colder and drier place.
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NASA's MAVEN spacecraft will study Mars' upper atmosphere for clues about how the planet has changed.
 

Related Story

MAVEN Science Teaser

Story Credits

Visualizers/Animators:
Ryan Zuber (UMBC)
Chris Smith (HTSI)
Walt Feimer (HTSI)

Video Editor:
Chris Smith (HTSI)

Interviewee:
Bruce Jakosky (LASP)

Producer:
Chris Smith (HTSI)

Lead Scientist:
Bruce Jakosky (LASP)

Videographer:
Chris Smith (HTSI)

Lead Writer:
Kayvon Sharghi (USRA)

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11600

Keywords:
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons
SVS >> App