Exploring Mars

Mars has enticed mankind since the dawn of civilization, but we have only recently begun to explore on missions including Viking and Pathfinder. Our most recent mission, Odyssey, which includes the Spirit and Opportunity rovers have had the greatest success in our exploring and aiding our understanding of the planet. However, these rovers face massive new challenges as the perilous third winter approaches and Nasa threatens to cut funding for basic operations.

Europe has been following close behind with the Mars Express orbiter mission and the planned ExoMars mission in 2013. Russia and China likewise have teamed up for a future joint mission.

The next U.S. mission, called Scout, has its first explorer, Phoenix planned to land sometime next month, as its makes small corrections in its trajectory. Following Phoenix, the next rover Scout has been delayed until 2013 from scheduling overlaps.