Mars
Latest about Mars
![a red planet seen against the blackness of space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jUFJVPBZr4CMEg4HcKNjJ-320-80.jpg)
If life exists on Mars, don't count on sample-return missions to find it, scientists say
By Leonard David published
While ambitious plans to return Red Planet samples to Earth are in development, some scientists argue that we should instead find ways to analyze Mars samples on the planet itself.
![closeup of a four-rotor drone sitting on pebbly red dirt.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/49x2gjsUvPWjb6awdAXBjL-320-80.png)
NASA loses contact with Ingenuity Mars helicopter
By Mike Wall published
NASA lost contact with its Ingenuity Mars helicopter on Thursday (Jan. 18), toward the end of the little rotorcraft's 72nd Red Planet flight.
![a black-and-white map of mars with blue sections denoting where water ice has been detected](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/REpvNAHQnZJbXWfBqPEy8h-320-80.jpg)
Water ice buried at Mars' equator is over 2 miles thick
By Keith Cooper published
The Mars Express orbiter has detected enough water ice buried beneath the Red Planet's equator to cover the entire planet in a shallow ocean if melted.
![black and white image of rocks with a delta-shaped rock in the middle](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xSTPGjwxaV9iRcxvnRAydn-320-80.jpg)
'Star Trek' on Mars? Curiosity rover spots Starfleet symbol on Red Planet
By Elizabeth Howell published
NASA's Curiosity rover found a Mars rock shaped like a Star Trek badge this month. The mission continues to beam up images from the Red Planet after 12 years of work.
![photo of a golden spacecraft in orbit around mars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eDnyZPdjNz4cY9tvv2dZRb-320-80.jpg)
Massive Mars dust storm spotted by China's Tianwen-1 probe (photos)
By Andrew Jones published
China's Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter spotted a massive dust storm near Olympus Mons, the biggest mountain in the solar system.
![a gold-foil-covered spacecraft on the surface of a rocky moon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AsSRj5A7d73jMJ8gMi8TTT-320-80.jpg)
Japan delays MMX Mars moon sample-return mission to 2026
By Andrew Jones published
Japan has postponed the launch of a mission seeking to bring samples of a Martian moon to Earth until 2026, due to problems with the nation's new H3 rocket.
![black-and-white photo of a small drone's shadow on sandy, pebble-studded ground.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zdxTRwwFkpLjHPfTtcEmUm-320-80.jpg)
NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter sets new distance record on the Red Planet
By Mike Wall published
NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter flew farther than it ever has before on Dec. 20, covering 2,315 feet (705 meters) of Red Planet ground.
![a map of mars stretched out so you can see the whole surface](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BrMp8enmpptDtnkUBkHrCV-320-80.jpg)
A spacecraft at Mars watched a dust storm lift tons of grains in a short time
By Elizabeth Howell published
The United Arab Emirates' Hope spacecraft spotted a lot of dust moving around on Mars after a regional storm in January 2022.
![a red planet, mars, is seen on the left. a white box surrounds an image of mars' surface, with an arrow from the box to the planet. another box, with an arrow pointing to the first box, shows a closer view of the surface of mars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eMcqNsKvd3Z5uTvcnLd956-320-80.jpg)
Mars Express orbiter suggests evidence of ancient microbial life, water and volcanism on Red Planet
By Robert Lea published
The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter has imaged the vast lava plains of Elysium Planitia, showing evidence of recent volcanism and proving the Red Planet has a turbulent past.
Get the Space.com Newsletter
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!