NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and Caltech researchers studied previous salt deposits on Mars, and it told a lot about the water that previously flowed on the planet. The researchers proved that water flowed longer on Mars than the initial belief that it had already gone for three billion years, but the new study counters this information.
NASA MRO, Caltech Discover Water Evidence Recent on Mars
Ellen Leask and Bethany Ehlmann used NASA's MRO instrument known as "Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars" (CRISM) to map the chloride salts on its surface. The research done by both Caltech professionals aims to look into the many mysteries of the planet, giving it more understanding for the people.
According to NASA, astronomers initially knew that over 3 billion years since the last water on Mars flowed. However, the research's new data proves it wrong, saying that it only has been two or two-and-a-half years since the previous water flowed on Mars and it left behind the said chloride salts that became the subject for the study.
NASA Mars: Water Evidence, What is the Relevance?
The research entitled "Evidence for Deposition of Chloride on Mars From Small-Volume Surface Water Events Into the Late Hesperian-Early Amazonian" shows that water was flowing longer on its surface. The public thought that Mars was long dry, but the new evidence says that it held out for almost a billion years longer.
The study helps to learn more about Mars and what future humans will do with it, mainly as the present already aims to visit it anytime soon.
Mission to Mars: NASA, SpaceX, and MORE
NASA's Mission to Mars will soon come, but it is not the current focus of the national space agency as it devotes its resources to the Artemis moon mission coming this 2024. However, NASA's uncrewed spacecraft are already on Mars in the form of the Curiosity Rover and the latest mission of the Perseverance Rover and the Ingenuity Helicopter.
The more prominent company for its focus on Mars is SpaceX. It significantly comes from its CEO and founder, Elon Musk, aiming to be Mars' governor or president. SpaceX's Starship is currently shaping up to be the vessel going towards the Red Planet to soon bring the building blocks and humans for its colony.
The discovery by the Caltech researchers with NASA's MRO is 15 years in the making, and it only signifies that humans need more knowledge about the neighboring planet. It is easy to claim that people can go to Mars and set up a colony, but there are a lot of unknown factors yet on the planet.
The recent study proved that it needs more time to look into the planet and what it holds.
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Written by Isaiah Richard
