Page 3 - mars_Neat

Scientists GOALS TO DISCOVER MARS

Goal 1: Determine if Mars Ever Supported Life.

Goal 1 is predicated on the idea that Mars and Earth may have been
relatively similar worlds during their early histories, and as life arose
relatively early on the Earth, whether life ever arose on Mars is a key
question.

Goal 2: concerns fundamental questions about how the

climate of Mars has evolved over time to reach the current state, the
processes that have operated to produce this evolution, and
whether the Martian atmosphere and climate reflect features that
are universal to planetary atmospheres.

Understand the Origin and Evolution of Mars as a Geological
System:

Goal 3 seeks insight into the composition, structure, and history of

Mars as a planet, through deeper understanding of its surface and
interior. The investigation of Mars is a compelling scientific
exploration in its own right, but the planet also might once have
hosted potentially habitable, Earthlike environments.

Prepare for Human Exploration:

Goal 4 encompasses how robotic flight missions can help prepare for
potential crewed missions (or sets of missions) to the Mars system, and
how these precursors can “buy down risk” that is inherent to any mission
by acquiring precursor information that can be acted upon during design,

implementation and operation of these future missions.