Landing site chosen for mission to Mars!
05 November 2015
A group of scientists have chosen the best place for a Mars rover to land: an area called Oxia Planum. The robotic rover is part of a European Space Agency mission called ExoMars 2018, and will touch down in January 2019.
Oxia Planum is the scientists’ favourite landing site for two main reasons. First, it is mostly flat. This is really important because if there are large boulders or steep slopes then the ExoMars rover could get stuck. Second, Oxia Planum was covered with water long in its past. If there was once water, maybe there was – or still is – life! Finding life is the ExoMars rover’s main mission objective.
If there are alien creatures on Mars we don’t expect them to be walking, talking creatures like us, but rather tiny microscopic lifeforms. This makes finding them tricky! Organisms would likely live underground, where they would be protected from the harsh conditions on Mars’ surface. Mission scientists have planned for this, and equipped the ExoMars rover with a powerful drill that can take samples from two metres into the rock.
In just a few years the ExoMars rover could be exploring Oxia Planum. What do you think it will discover?
Cool fact: Mars is home to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our Solar System - it stands almost three times as tall as Mount Everest!
