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Mariner 9
Significance of mission: It was made to take pictures of mars
Geological findings:
· Took pictures of Mars’ polar caps
· Took pictures of the vast Valles
· Took pictures of the Martian moons
· Found evidence that water could have been on Mars in the past
· Discovered global dust storms were a thing
· Discovered Olympus mons -
Viking #1 and Viking #2
Significance of mission: To discover if Mars was habitable
Geological Findings:
· Performed the first Martian soil sample
· Found evidence for riverbeds and flooding
· Helped characterize mars as a cold, volcanic planet
· Found traces of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen
· Helped find good landing spots
· Found traces of hydrogen and phosphorus
Viking #2 launched on 9/9/1975 -
Mars Glbal Surveyor
Significance of mission:
Geological Findings:
· Found that mars had repeatable weather patterns
· Found information about dust devils
· Documented gullies and debris flows
· Discovered that there where localized magnetic fields in particular areas of the crust
· Found recently formed impact craters
· Got the first 3D image of Mars’ north polar ice cap -
Mars Pathfinder
Significance of mission: It was a demonstration of a new way to deliver a lander
Geological Findings:
· Obtained signs that Mars was once warm
· Obtained signs that Mars was once wet
· Found dust devils
· Water ice clouds where seen
· Mars’ pole rotations were recorded
· Abrupt temperature fluctuations were recorded in the morning -
Mars Odyssey
Significance of Mission: To Characterize the Martian near-space radiation environment as related to radiation-induced risk to human explorers
Geological Findings:
· It mapped the number of chemical elements
· It mapped the number of minerals
· Maps of hydrogen distribution
· Helped scientist discover lots of water ice
· Recorded information about radiation on mars
· Took images that measure the surface temperature -
Spirit & opportunity
Significance of Mission: Its job was to search for and characterize rocks and soils for clues to past water activity on Mars
Geological Findings:
· Gave images to help scientists.
· Got information about Martian rocks and soil
· Found evidence that mars may have supported microbial life
· Found bright patches of soil which were extremely salty
· Found finely layered rocks
· Found evidence that Mars was characterized by impacts, explosive volcanism, and subsurface water. -
Mars Phoenix
Significance of mission: To study the history of water on mars
Geological Findings:
· Obtained data about clouds
· Obtained data about fog
· Obtained data about dust
· It verified the presence of water
· Found concentrations of salt
· It found calcium Carbonite -
Curiosity
Significance of mission: Curiosity was sent to answer the question: Did Mars ever have the right environmental conditions to support microbes?
Geological Findings:
· Found chemical and mineral evidence of past habitable environment
· Collects air, soil, and rock samples
· Found sulphur
· Discovered carbon
· Found nitrogen
· Found oxygen
