Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Archives

This is an example of a debris-covered glacier on Mars. New research into these features suggests that they are purer than once thought, with implications for understanding Mars’ overall water budget and resource utilization on future crewed missions. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release

Mars Glaciers Are Purer And More Uniform Than Previously Thought

by Keith CowingJuly 25, 2025July 25, 2025

On the slopes of Martian mountains and craters clings what appears to be flowing honey, coated in dust and frozen in time. In reality, these features are incredibly slow-moving glaciers, […]

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Learns New Moves After Nearly 20 Years in Space

by Keith CowingJune 28, 2025June 28, 2025

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is testing a series of large spacecraft rolls that will help it hunt for water.

A clay-rich mesa in the Hellas basin of Mars. The blue color near the rim is aluminum bearing clays. The red-orange color below that is iron and magnesium bearing clays. The image captures an area that’s 1 kilometer across. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona.

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Impact events, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

Thick Clay Layers On Mars May Have Been A Stable Place For Ancient Life

by Keith CowingJune 18, 2025June 18, 2025

The planet Mars is home to thick layers of clay that can span hundreds of feet. Since they need water to form, these outcrops have long been of interest to […]

Planning diagram showing variation in latitude range (between heavy black lines) vs. season (solar longitude, LS) for SHARAD standard VLR observations wherein all associated spacecraft maneuvers occur when the MRO spacecraft is in eclipse. Colors and lighter black lines show accessible terrains, keyed to investigations proposed for MRO Extended Mission 7. Polar regions are not accessible under these constraints. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrogeology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

SHARAD Illuminates Deeper Martian Subsurface Structures with a Boost from Very Large Rolls of the MRO Spacecraft

by Keith CowingJune 1, 2025June 1, 2025

Throughout its mission, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has often rolled about its along-track axis by up to 28° to partially compensate for the suboptimal location of the Shallow Radar […]

Bright and dark streaks covering the slopes of the Olympus Mons aureole, as seen by the Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) onboard the European Space Agency’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Larger image

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Mars, Press Release

A Non-Water Origin For Those Streaks On Mars

by Keith CowingMay 29, 2025May 26, 2025

As if someone has been sweeping the surface of Mars with a broom, the origin of odd, streaked slopes has intrigued scientists for decades.

Candor Chasma in central Valles Marineris -- NASA HiRISE

Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Martian Sandstone In West Candor Chasma

by Keith CowingMay 22, 2025May 22, 2025

Candor Chasma in central Valles Marineris is filled with light-toned layered deposits thought to be sandstones, perhaps formed in an ancient wet and potentially habitable environment.

These Martian landforms were created when volcanic ash was modified by water to various degrees over millennia. These layered deposits are on a plateau near Juventae Chasma in the Valles Marineris region of Mars. Researchers have found that these bright layered deposits contain opaline silica and iron sulfates, which hint at their origins. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release

How Ash and Water Intricately Sculpted the Surface of Mars

by Keith CowingMarch 12, 2025

The plateaus that flank the largest canyon in the Solar System are shrouded in hypnotically complex landforms called light-toned layered deposits. Fifteen years ago, PSI Senior Scientist Catherine Weitz first […]

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie in July 2024. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return

Documenting The First Mars Mission Soil Samples

by Keith CowingFebruary 7, 2025February 7, 2025

A new paper released today documents the first soil, airfall dust, and rock fragment samples collected by NASA for return from Mars. We checked in with the UNLV astrobiologist leading […]

This animation shows the position of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover as of Dec. 4, 2024, the 1,347th Martian day, or sol, of the mission, along with the proposed route of the mission's fifth science campaign, dubbed Northern Rim, over the next several years. -- Animation available at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26480

Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report

Proposed Route: Mars Rover Perseverance Northern Rim Science Campaign

by Keith CowingJanuary 12, 2025January 11, 2025

This map was made using data from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera as well as the European Space Agency’s (ESA) High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC).

The double annular cyclone (DAC). (a) and (b) Two views of DAC on 12 Nov. 2021 (sol 260, Ls = 126°) (MARCI). (c) DAC well developed on 29 Oct. 2021 (sol 247, Ls = 119.6°) (MARCI).. (d)DAC on 17 Nov. 2021 (sol 265, Ls = 128.6°) (VMC). (e) Plot showing the longitude location of the two DAC cyclones in time (West and East edges and Center). (f) Map showing the displacement in longitude and latitude of the two DAC components. -- astro-ph.EP

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Martian Atmospheric Disturbances From Orbital Images And Surface Pressure At Jezero Crater, Mars, During Martian Year 36

by Keith CowingJanuary 11, 2025

We present a study of atmospheric disturbances at Jezero Crater, Mars, using ground-based measurements of surface pressure by the Perseverance rover in combination with orbital images from the Mars Express […]