New Scientist - Exploring Mars

More evidence points to past oceans on Mars

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:11:00 GMT

Chemical fingerprints in the soil suggest Mars may have had a succession of relatively short-lived oceans

Sun shines on future Mars colonies

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:58:00 GMT

Despite problems with NASA's Phoenix lander, the Sun's rays could match nuclear power for powering a human base on Mars, say energy specialists

Spirit rover recuperating after dust storm

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:05:00 GMT

The rover is regaining strength after a dust storm caused its power levels to dip dangerously low

Moon takes a backseat in new space plan

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:05:00 GMT

The Planetary Society, a space advocacy group, says NASA should focus on getting astronauts to Mars and near-Earth asteroids

Mars rover's power dips to all-time low

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:57:00 GMT

A dust storm has blanketed Spirit's solar panels, providing the rover with just 10% of the energy it had when it landed

'Mars on Earth' mission one step closer to launch

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:18:00 GMT

Eight candidates have been chosen from a group of 5600 to spend three months in a simulated space station

NASA bids farewell to Phoenix lander

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:17:00 GMT

The Mars lander has been out of contact for a week, and NASA is declaring an end to mission operations

Dying Mars lander to enter 'Groundhog Day' state

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:23:00 GMT

NASA's Phoenix lander may spend its dying days performing the same sequence of weather measurements over and over again

Opal hints at persistence of water on Mars

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:15:00 GMT

The mineral, which needs water to form, is widespread in young Martian terrain - it might be a good target for future searches for life

Over-budget Mars mission granted stay of execution

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:29:00 GMT

NASA is pressing ahead with plans to launch its Mars Science Lab rover in 2009 – but it's not clear where it will get the money to do so

Fluttering robot could show Mars rovers the way

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:37:00 GMT

A robot dragonfly could study the Red Planet from above, flagging up interesting sites for land-based vehicles to investigate

Phoenix finds evidence of past liquid water on Mars

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:53:00 GMT

The ice underneath NASA's Mars lander might once have been a puddle of standing water

Mars iron is ideal for building future bases

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:22:00 GMT

The elemental iron that peppers the surface of Mars is not rusty and could be a perfect construction material for future inhabited bases

Mars lander observes its first dust devils

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:10:00 GMT

At least six dust devils have been imaged by the Phoenix Mars lander – the first ever observed by the probe

Mars lander abandons underground salt search

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Soil from the deepest trench the Phoenix lander has ever dug is too sticky to fall into its wet chemistry lab – it will study more familiar soil

Mars lander to squirrel away soil in advance of winter

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:36:00 GMT

While it still has plenty of solar power, the Phoenix probe will try to quickly stockpile soil samples for later study

Mars rover clambers out of Victoria Crater

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:23:00 GMT

NASA's Opportunity rover has emerged from the gaping crater it has explored for nearly a year – now it will study rocks called cobbles

Mars rover plots escape from giant crater

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:30:00 GMT

NASA's Opportunity rover is climbing out of Victoria Crater after one of its wheels seemed to show signs of failing

Rocket failure burns NASA for second time in a month

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:00:00 GMT

A NASA experiment to test Mars probe technology had to be detonated last week after it began to veer off course

Phoenix uncovers history of liquid water on Mars

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:00:00 GMT

The Mars Phoenix Lander's discovery of the chemical perchlorate has mixed implications for the possibility of life on the planet

Phoenix Mars lander bakes third soil sample

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:31:00 GMT

A third soil sample is being analysed by an onboard instrument called TEGA; meanwhile, the lander has dug its deepest trench yet

Phoenix soil results released after days of speculation

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:28:00 GMT

After rumours of a discovery about the 'potential for life' on Mars, scientists say they may have found an oxidant called perchlorate – but it has little bearing on Mars's habitability

Phoenix Mars lander 'tastes' first sample of water ice

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:38:00 GMT

The TEGA instrument detected its first water ice in relatively dry soil collected on Wednesday – the mission was also extended

Phoenix's first ice study foiled by sticky Mars dirt

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:15:00 GMT

On Saturday, the lander collected icy soil to study in its TEGA instrument, but the sample failed to fall out of its collection scoop

Phoenix takes a stab at Martian ice

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:12:00 GMT

The Mars lander has successfully drilled holes into the icy soil, a first step to delivering ice to the craft's science instruments