Mars Exploration

Mars is our neighbor in space. It is called the red planet because of its rusty color. People have not walked on Mars yet, but robots have. Scientists hope to find out if life ever lived there.

Robots on Mars

NASA has sent many robots to Mars. The robots are called rovers and look like small cars. Famous rovers include Curiosity and Perseverance. They drive around and take pictures of rocks and dirt. They also test the soil to look for signs of water or old life.

What We Know About Mars

Mars is smaller than Earth and much colder. A day on Mars is about the same length as a day on Earth. Mars has two tiny moons named Phobos and Deimos. It also has the biggest volcano in our solar system, called Olympus Mons. Scientists think Mars once had rivers and maybe even oceans long ago.

Fun Facts

• A year on Mars is almost two Earth years long.
• The Perseverance rover even brought a tiny helicopter with it.
• Mars has huge dust storms that can cover the whole planet.

Did You Know?

NASA hopes to send astronauts to walk on Mars sometime in the future, maybe in the 2030s or 2040s.