Image Set

Scale: Mars is 6,787 km in diameter.

Image 1

• What is the feature across the middle?

• What do you think the circles on the left side are?
 Image 2

• On Earth, what are some

things about the size of
these craters?
• Why do some of the
craters overlap?
• In what order were the
craters formed?
• What do the patterns
around the craters reveal
about the nature of the
surface?
• Have you ever seen an
impact crater?

15 km Scale: Top crater is 15 km across.

Image 3

• What do you think

caused the shape around
these craters?
• Were these craters
formed at the same or at
different times?

30 km Scale: Large crater is 30 km across.

Image 4

• What might this feature be?

• How big is the feature in
this image?

250 km

Image 5

• What is the line on the

horizon above the
Martian surface?
• How high above the surface
is it?
• What causes it to be visible?

Scale: The large crater in the upper right is 200 km in diameter.

 Image 6

• Which came first, the

volcano or the impact
craters? How can you tell?
• What might have caused
the channels on the side of
the volcano?
• What do you think the
lines are? What might
have caused them?

100 km Scale: Lower volcano is 90 x 130 km.

Image 7

• What do you think caused

the canyon?
• What do you think shaped
the cliffs on the edges of
the canyon?
• How did this canyon get
so wide?

100 km
 100 km Scale: The crater in the lower right is about 100 km across.

Image 8

• Which came first, the fractures or the large crater left of center?
• Which came first, the crater in the lower right or the channel?
• Which direction did the fluid flow? Is any fluid apparent now?
• What caused the “tails” behind the small craters in the channel?
• What sequence of events and processes makes most sense in explaining all these features?
 Image 9

• What is this ellipse?

• How would you describe
this region?
• How might the teardrop-
shaped landforms
have formed?
• What might make this a
desirable landing site?

100 km Scale: Ellipse is 100 x 200 km.

Image 10

• What planet is this crater

on? How can you tell?
• Is this crater more like the
one in Image 2 or the one
in Image 3? Why?
• Is this a fresh or an
aged crater?
• How does this crater
compare in size to those
in Images 2 and 3?

Scale: Crater is 1.2 km in diameter.

 Scale: The view east of Viking 1’s landing site. The furthest point of the right-hand most
trench is 3 m away from the lander. The smaller trenches are about 10 cm wide.

Image 11

On July 20, 1976, Viking I landed in the Chryse Planitia (i.e., the Chryse Plain) and was the
first spacecraft to land successfully on Mars. Scientists think the Chryse Planitia is an out-
wash plain, and one reason they chose to land there is that it is relatively flat, increasing the
chances of a safe landing. Viking I’s robotic arm dug the trenches in the foreground to reveal
the soil just below the surface and to collect soil for several experiments. Note the wind-
deposited dust behind some of the rocks. As measured by Viking, temperatures on a typical
day ranged from -85oC to -30oC and wind speeds were around five meters per second with
gusts up to 25 meters per second. Pathfinder also landed in the Chryse Planitia, roughly 850
km east of this site.
• How big are the largest rocks?
• Does this look like any place on Earth? If so, where?
• Can you tell if it is hot or cold?
• What might scientists learn from sampling in a place like this?
• How does this scene compare to the one around Pathfinder’s landing site?
 200 km Scale: Ellipse is 100 x 200 km.

Image 12

• What information does this wide-area view add to your understanding of Image 9?
• Do you see anything that might make this an interesting area to explore?
 Scale: Rover is 65 cm long, 48 cm wide, and 30 cm tall.
Image 13

This image was taken on Pathfinder’s third day. Here, Sojourner approaches
“Barnacle Bill,” the small rock on the left, and “Yogi,” the large rock in the upper
right-hand corner. Sojourner used its Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and
cameras to determine the mineral composition of rocks and soil around the landing
site. The lander's ramp and part of a deflated airbag are visible.
• How many different general rock shapes can you see?
• What causes rocks to be different shapes?
• Is the surface of Mars dusty? How can you tell?

Scale: The Twin Peaks are approximately 1 km away and 50 m tall.

Image 14

This image was taken on Pathfinder’s fourth day and shows "Twin Peaks,” the two hills about
one kilometer away from the landing site.
• Does this look like any place on Earth?
• Why did the landing site look so smooth when it is really full of boulders?
• What are some ways a plain like this can become littered with rocks?
 500 km Scale: Ares Vallis is about 1,500 km long.

Image 15

• What information does this wide-area view add to your understanding of Image 12?
• How much water flowed in this region, a little or a lot?
• Do you see any sources for water?
• Why is the area at the end of the channel so smooth?
Image 16

• How big is this area?

• Is Ares Vallis the only place water flowed?
• Which direction is uphill?
• What is the general topography of this region?
• Where might the water that flowed in these channels have come from?
• Describe the distribution of craters in this region.
• What might explain this pattern of distribution?
• What are some differences between the craters on the plain and in the highlands?
• What might explain the differences between the craters in these two areas?
• What do you think the Chryse Planitia looked like when water flowed in the channels?
1000 km
 Mars Exploration Timeline
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Mars Pathfinder

Mars Global Surveyor

Mars Surveyor ‘98 Orbiter

Mars Surveyor ‘98 Lander

Mars Surveyor ‘01 Orbiter

Mars Surveyor ‘01 Lander

Mars Surveyor ‘03 Lander

Mars Surveyor ‘03 Orbiter

Key Development Cruise Aero Braking Prime Mission Mapping Phase Relay Phase Extended Mission

Every two years, Mars and Earth align so that a spacecraft can travel efficiently between the two
planets. Over the next decade, NASA plans to launch new missions each time Earth and Mars
are in a position for efficient travel.

• Mars Global Surveyor (1997) The orbiter will map the planet's atmosphere and surface. It
will look for evidence of surface water, study the surface geology and structure, and
examine changes in Martian weather for at least one Martian year (about two Earth years).
• Mars Surveyor `98 (1998-99) The lander will land near the edge of Mars' south polar cap
and focus on studies of geology, weather, and past and present water resources. Before
touchdown, it will release two microprobes that will drop into the soil to search for the
presence of subsurface water. The orbiter will examine the atmosphere and changes in
water vapor during the Martian seasons.
• Mars Surveyor `01 (2001) The lander will carry a rover capable of traveling dozens of kilo-
meters to gather surface dust and soil samples. There will also be a test of our ability to pro-
duce rocket propellant using Martian rocks and soil as raw materials. The orbiter will study
the mineralogy and chemistry of the surface, including the identification of water resources
just below the Martian surface.
• Mars Surveyor `03 (2003) This lander will carry a wide-ranging rover to collect samples
from a different part of the planet. The orbiter will provide the complex links needed for
communication and navigation for this and future surface missions.

NASA scientists are waiting to see what this current set of missions will reveal about Mars
before deciding where to send the 2005 and 2007 missions and what data they should collect.