Viking 2 lander Archives

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Mars, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

The Role Of Seasonal Frost In Brine Formation On Mars

by Keith CowingJuly 17, 2025July 17, 2025

Due to extreme temperatures and the dryness of Mars, it’s thought to be impossible for liquid water to form on the planet’s surface, a critical precondition for habitability. The only […]

Topographic map of Utopia Planitia, showing the landing sites of the Zhurong rover, the Viking 2 lander and the Perseverance rover. The −4 km elevation contour is shown.representative HiRISE images of polygons in Utopia Planitia whose locations (d), PSP_002162_2260 (e) and PSP_003177_2275 Credit for HiRISE images: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.

Astrogeology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release

Zhurong Radar Detects Buried Polygons Beneath Utopia Planitia On Mars

by Keith CowingDecember 21, 2023September 18, 2025

A joint research team led by the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) has reported the discovery of buried palaeo-polygonal terrain beneath Utopia Planitia […]