Scouting Mars

Grade Level: 6-12
Subject: Science/Technology

NASA scientists celebrated the successful landing on of the Phoenix Mars Lander on Sunday, May 25, 2008. Phoenix flexed its solar panels and started its work. Over the next few months, the specific mission to accomplish is sampling the planet's arctic plains.

Launched in August 2007, the Phoenix is the first in NASA's Scout Program, deemed to take the next step in studying the planet's history of water and determining if humans could one day inhabit it. Since as early as 1960, experts have been developing orbiters, landers and rovers to study the planet in detail and as continuously as possible.

Based on NASA's research, many scientists believe that Mars may have previously supported an atmosphere, and possibly carbon-based life forms, similar to Earth. This means that it could do so again in the future.

Some experts think that the Red Planet could be "terraformed," meaning transformed into an Earth-like planet, and developed as the first human other-world colony. NASA expects that by 2016, a human flight crew will make the four to five-month journey for on-the-ground exploration.

Can you imagine what it could be like a few centuries from now to travel and communicate between two human-populated worlds?

As you will discover in this lesson, NASA has launched a number of missions to study Mars. You will explore the history and goals of Red Planet research, which includes preparing the planet for future human inhabitants.

History & Purpose

Start off by understanding the "big picture" of why humans are studying Mars in the first place. As you will learn, all of this research is critical to ultimately colonizing the Red Planet. To see how today's efforts will lead to future plans, stop over at the Mars Exploration Program's Science lab and check out the Four Science Goals for Mars Exploration related to Life, Climate, Geology, and Human Exploration.

How does understanding the planet's past and present conditions help scientists figure out how humans could live there in the future? What types of characteristics (biological, atmospheric, or geological) are still largely unknown?

Now get creative by speculating about how the planet's conditions could influence non-scientific aspects of Martian colonies. For example, in what ways might the presence of two moons inspire local artists and musicians? How might the planet's natural resources be used? What kinds of businesses might profit there? What would relationships between governments there and on Earth be like?

Next, jump over to the University of Arizona's Phoenix Mars Mission site. Here, open and browse From Earth to Mars: The history of Mars exploration. Travel the timeline and view the images starting with Marsnik 1, launched in 1960, through to Viking 1 of 1975, to the Mars Pathfinder of 1996, to the Mars Exploration twin Rovers of 2003, to the Mars Science Laboratory being planned for 2009. After reviewing the timeline, write a brief essay on how the science, technology, and ideas related to studying Mars has evolved over the years.

The Phoenix Rises...Lands & Surveys

Camped out at the Phoenix Mars Mission site, you will learn a lot about the lander's technology and why its mission is to survey the planet's arctic plains. First, watch get to know the Phoenix Mars Lander (PML) by mousing over its different parts. Even before Phoenix lifted off from Earth, scientists were a bit nervous about The Challenges of Getting to Mars. Watch this video to hear what scientists have to say about the challenges of getting there and on what Phoenix must accomplish before shutting down. If you have time, check out the other Videos & Animations related to the mission.

In the site's Education section, sharpen up your Martian brain with Mars 101. Carefully study the overview, and then compare and contrast the Polar Regions of Earth and Mars.

As you explore the Habitability & Biology section, think about what variables determine whether life can exist or not. Do you think that the six properties shared by all living organisms must also be true elsewhere? Based on what scientists know about life in Earth's extreme environments, how likely do you think it is that life exists on Mars? Discuss your opinion with classmates.

Why do scientists believe that Water on Mars has existed in the past? Take a quick detour to watch the video, The Search for Water, the Search for Life. Then, continue with Mars 101 to examine Climate Change. How can understanding Earth's climate help figure out the history of Mars' climate?

As the Phoenix Mars Mission continues, read the Blog entries and periodically check the Gallery for new images.

You can also find more multimedia and other information on Mars at NASA's Mars Exploration Program site.

Newspaper Activities

Browse The Sacrament Bee for articles about Mars. Follow the Phoenix mission, for example, but also review the archives and other current events and news related to Mars research and future plans. Choose one particular news item to research more in-depth. Develop a presentation that illustrates how that news item fits into the "big picture" of making Mars a habitable planet.