From ancient water to molten interiors: the multi-front search for Mars' secrets

Space · Published 23 October 2026 · Updated 23 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Mars is no longer just a destination; it is a laboratory for understanding planetary evolution. From robotic rovers hunting for microbial life to orbiters mapping dramatic climate shifts, current missions are systematically dismantling our mysteries of the Red Planet while preparing the way for human footsteps.

NASA's Mars Exploration Program has shifted toward a science-driven systemic approach. Over the next two decades, the agency will focus on three strategic pillars: searching for potential life, decoding the planet's geology and climate, and preparing for human exploration. This isn't just about exploration; it is a strategic investment in technology. Innovations in advanced mobility, communication systems, and entry, descent, and landing (EDL) solutions are being developed to benefit missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

The current fleet of explorers provides a diverse cross-section of these goals. The Curiosity rover, which has been active since 2011, is specifically investigating whether Mars was ever habitable for microbial life. Meanwhile, the Perseverance rover (Mars 2020) is tasked with the first step of a journey to return Mars samples to Earth.

Complementing these surface missions are orbiters like MAVEN, which measures atmospheric data to understand dramatic historical climate changes, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), which serves as a vital data relay station. International efforts also contribute to this puzzle. The Trace Gas Orbiter, reaching orbit during 2016, and the future Rosalind Franklin rover, set for a 2028 launch at the earliest, comprise the ESA's EXOMars initiative. These missions, alongside past explorers like InSight—which studied the planet's 'inner space' from 2018 to 2022—work together to build a comprehensive map of a world that may hold the keys to our own solar system's history.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The phased roadmap to landing humans on the Red Planet
• Why is NASA returning to the red planet with advanced robotic explorers today?
• The multi-phase roadmap to landing humans on the Red Planet
• NASA's strategic roadmap for a human mission to the Red Planet
• Mars is the only planet in our solar system inhabited entirely by robots.
• Humanity just touched the Sun at 430,000 miles per hour
• From German rockets to lunar footprints: a century of celestial ambition
• What if an infinite, dark staircase was discovered in the void of space?
• The first spacecraft to orbit and land on a comet
• The 14-year mission that survived its eight-month deadline
• The engine that proved we could sail the stars on electricity
• The first human-made objects to leave our Sun's influence

More in Space probes · More in Space · Latest · A–Z · All topics