#mars

A new space story frames oxygen extraction on the Moon as a necessary step before human life on Mars, reflecting a broader shift from short lunar visits toward long-term habitation.

NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft observed the Zwan-Wolf effect at Mars during a powerful 2023 solar storm, revealing a plasma-compression phenomenon previously associated with Earth.

NASA spacecraft data from a 2023 solar storm suggest Mars can experience the Zwan-Wolf effect, a plasma-squeezing phenomenon previously thought to require a full magnetosphere.

NASA used Psyche’s close pass by Mars to gather detailed images of the planet and calibrate key instruments ahead of the spacecraft’s long journey to asteroid Psyche.

Cryptocurrency investor Chun Wang says he is working with SpaceX toward a future Starship flyby of Mars, an idea that would extend the current era of private astronaut missions far beyond Earth orbit.

A new review argues that beneficial fungi could help overcome the nutrient and stress limits of lunar and Martian regolith, offering a potential path toward more self-sufficient off-world agriculture.

A new high-power magnetoplasmadynamic thruster under development at NASA JPL could expand the role of electric propulsion by delivering far more power than current systems while preserving major fuel-efficiency gains.

NASA has issued its final request for proposals for a Mars telecommunications network, setting a June 15 deadline and reaffirming eligibility rules tied to earlier Mars sample return design studies.

NASA has issued a formal request for proposals for a Mars Telecommunications Network, aiming to build high-bandwidth relay infrastructure to support future robotic and human missions by 2030.

NASA’s Psyche mission is approaching a close Mars flyby on May 15, using the encounter to gain speed, calibrate instruments and capture a rare crescent view of the Red Planet.

A new modeling study suggests tides in ancient Martian water bodies were probably too weak to serve as a primary force behind sedimentary structures seen in Gale Crater and Utopia Planitia.

NASA engineers solved an unusual problem on Mars after Curiosity drilled into a small rock that became stuck to the rover’s arm during sample collection.

A new rotor blade design tested by engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory could let future Mars helicopters survive tip speeds around Mach 1.08 and generate roughly 30 percent more lift.

A new preprint argues that a future city on Mars may need metals and other materials sourced from main-belt asteroids, with multi-stop refueling routes overcoming the delta-v limits of cargo spacecraft.

NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured a sweeping panorama at a transition zone on Jezero Crater’s rim, where some of Mars’ oldest accessible rocks may help scientists study the planet’s earliest crust and atmosphere.

A compensation package described in SpaceX’s confidential IPO filing would award Elon Musk a large block of super-voting restricted shares if the company reaches a $7.5 trillion valuation and establishes a Mars colony of

Using early orbital predictions for asteroid 2001 CA21, a researcher identified a possible Mars mission profile that could cut total round-trip travel time to roughly 153 days during a favorable 2031 window.

Researchers in China propose a multimodal system that would capture and compress the Martian atmosphere, pair it with a micro-nuclear reactor, and store energy in lithium-Martian gas batteries for future crewed missions.

A study described by Universe Today says at least one fungal strain collected from NASA cleanrooms survived a battery of Mars-like stress tests, expanding planetary protection concerns beyond bacteria.

New lab work suggests microgravity may interfere with how sperm locate and fertilize eggs, raising fresh questions about human reproduction during long-duration space missions.